


precious

by ndnickerson



Series: tall, dark and dangerous [3]
Category: Nancy Drew - Carolyn Keene
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anal Fingering, Anal Play, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Cunnilingus, Doggy Style, Drama, Engagement, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Family, Fellatio, Handcuffs, Light Bondage, Light Dom/sub, Masturbation, Multiple Orgasms, Oral Sex, Outdoor Sex, Paparazzi, Party, Picnic, Reunion Sex, Scandal, Sex Toys, Thanksgiving Dinner, Travel, Vacation, Voyeurism, Woman on Top, World Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-12-28
Updated: 2015-10-22
Packaged: 2018-01-06 12:11:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 107,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1106665
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ndnickerson/pseuds/ndnickerson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nancy and Ned celebrate their one-year anniversary with a summer trip.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Ned Nickerson woke to the smell of frying bacon, which was his second-favorite way to wake up. His first involved a certain long-legged strawberry blonde cuddled up to him in some state of undress, but she was in Chicago, and he was in New York. And... he glanced at the clock, yawning. She was most likely still asleep. By all rights, he should have been too.

He had always loved New York, and he still loved the city, even if he spent a good deal of his time in Chicago now. The night before, though, had been crazy. He had taken a large group of his friends out on the yacht for the afternoon; Josh, Fare, and Maury had been in town, and Mike, Howie, Lance, and Paul had come along too. They had all met Nancy before or during her birthday party the previous month in Chicago, and while they had ribbed him about being so thoroughly whipped by a girl who was barely out of her teens, Ned hadn't cared. Their teasing had been good-natured, and they had been suitably impressed by Ned's plans for the summer. The gathering had turned into a kind of farewell party.

Josh had insisted that they hit a club to keep the party going when they called to find a place for dinner. After claiming a large table at an exclusive restaurant uptown, the eight of them had run up a staggering bill that easily rivaled the time they had thrown Fare a mock bachelor party—and that night had given Ned the most incredible hangover he had ever experienced. Then they hit a club that turned into a mob scene once a few of the patrons recognized Fare; Howie was a rising star, but he didn't have quite the same face-recognition yet. Ned hadn't even made it out on the dance floor before they had decided to flee for a lesser-known place.

Ned hadn't even wanted to go out on the floor, to be honest. He had told Nancy about his plans and she had encouraged him to go have a good time with his friends, since they would be spending so much of the summer abroad; she had taken the week after the spring term was over to hang out with her best friends and her family.

A year ago, he would have been the first guy out on the floor. He would have been sizing up every presumably single girl in the place, and he most likely would have left with one or two on his arm, ready and willing to feel him up in the back of his limo, to wake up tangled in the sheets on his yacht. Another notch in the bedpost.

He had danced with a few girls at the club the night before, usually with a drink in his hand, but he had missed his girlfriend. He didn't want to dance with a stranger; he wanted to dance with her. Ned was also very aware that Bess had a saved Google search on his name, and he didn't get too close to any of the women he danced with. If someone in the crowd took a cell phone snapshot of him with a girl grinding up on him, Bess would probably see it within five minutes. He didn't mind so much what Bess thought, but the last thing in the world he wanted to do was potentially hurt Nancy's feelings.

Then they had headed up to Faraday's room for the night, just a little crash pad known as the Royal Plaza Suite. Ned hadn't been in it since the most recent upgrades, and Maury had been fascinated by the integrated iPad controllers. Fare had made special requests for bar upgrades, and when Ned had left around three o'clock in the morning, the guys had made it through the majority of the champagne and the bottles of high-end whiskeys; Howie was just opening a bottle Ned knew sold for upwards of ten grand when Ned had been saying his goodbyes. He hadn't been able to resist taking a sip of it, though. After all, he wouldn't be the one driving.

The aspirin he had hastily swallowed the night before with a bottle of water on the way back to his own apartment had done some good, but as soon as Ned was fully awake, he felt a headache begin to pulse behind his eyes. He stumbled to the bathroom and took another dose.

Ned hadn't had enough sleep by any means, but he had a lot to do before Nancy's arrival. Plus, Louis was frying bacon to accompany eggs Hollandaise, and the dish was perfectly beautiful. Nancy would be sleeping at Ned's New York apartment before they departed tomorrow, so Ned and Louis talked about menus as Ned dragged a chunk of English muffin through the velvety, lemony sauce.

Louis was pretty excited about the trip to Europe; Ned had arranged for Louis to stay with them for the first leg of the trip, then to have two weeks of time off to do whatever he wanted. He could meet with chefs, sample dishes and look at restaurants, whatever he wanted, while Nancy and Ned headed off to the Himalayas, to India and Nepal.

Ned definitely wasn't looking forward to the day his private chef took the plunge and opened his own restaurant, but he was excited for him regardless. Louis really was amazing, and if his own independent restaurant was his dream, Ned wasn't going to hold him back—as long as he made good on his promise to hire a replacement who would do as good a job as possible. And to do his best to give Ned a table when he was in town.

"So when will her flight be arriving?"

Ned glanced at his watch. "Around two o'clock, if the weather holds out. I was thinking about a snack when she gets here and then something light for dinner, but I'll ask her how she's feeling."

"Four-course meal involving potatoes and lots of slow-roasted meat. Got it." Louis chuckled.

"Exactly," Ned retorted with his own smile, reaching for his coffee.

Nancy texted him when she woke up, letting him know that she was still on schedule and that she loved him. Ned smiled when he got it. He definitely couldn't wait to see her again.

She had only let him take her virginity a couple of months earlier. Ned had been shaken to the core by that knowledge. The entire time he had been with her, from the first time she had agreed to go on a date with him up through their parting in his Chicago apartment the week before—it had been incredible. He had been with countless women who were more experienced, who seemed to have perfect control, but knowing that he was the only man who had ever been intimate with her, who had ever brought her to orgasm or touched her between her legs, who had ever seen her naked or tasted her arousal, even before he had taken her virginity... he had loved that. He loved how intense and unstudied her reactions to him were. She always seemed surprised by the way her body reacted to his—not because she didn't care for him, but because she had literally never experienced anything like what he was doing for her and with her.

He couldn't believe how much he loved her, or how much she loved him.

He was right on time for his first meeting of the day, which he always liked; it set the tone for all that followed. He had made a practice of it from early in his professional life.

Eva had sorted his correspondence into piles on his desk, clearly intending to take advantage of his visit. Since he was planning on being out of pocket for the next two months at least, he didn't blame her. The stacks were sorted into documents which required his signature, documents which had been scanned and sent to him via email for review, and invitations for events as far out as a year. Given the kinds of events and the guest lists, if he wanted to attend he would need to respond—and indicate if he would bring a guest.

Ned tackled the first stack with relish, checking each before he signed, and had nearly finished when a notification popped up on his laptop screen. _Jackson here. Ready?_

 _Send him in._ Ned signed the last one before glancing up, to see his attorney walking through his office door. Eva was holding it open, the faintest expression of disapproval on her face, and even Jackson looked a little troubled.

"Good morning," Ned said pleasantly, his lips turning up in a small smile.

"Good morning," Fletcher Jackson replied. "I have the documents, as you've requested."

"Thank you."

Jackson reached into his briefcase, then let out a long sigh before passing over the envelope. Ned slipped the documents out and onto his desk, barely blinking when he read the title.

_LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT_

Jackson lowered himself slowly into the guest chair. Eva knocked and asked if he would like any refreshment, then returned with an iced water, slender lemon slice floating on top, for the attorney.

Ned finished checking over the document with a nod, then glanced up to see that same frown still on Jackson's face. "Okay, go ahead and say it," Ned said with a faint smile.

"I already have," Jackson said, his frown deepening. "You just chose not to take my advice, and that's your prerogative."

Ned sighed, having signed the revised will, and Eva and another assistant came in to sign as witnesses. Jackson watched them closely until he and Ned were alone again; anything said in their presence technically wasn't covered by privilege, although Ned had never involved his lawyer in anything that wasn't completely aboveboard.

"Look, the insurance policies on all the jewelry, and now _this_? If I were her..."

Ned chuckled quietly. "If you were her you'd knock me off for the inheritance, huh?"

"A third? An entire _third_?"

Ned nodded. "Yes."

Jackson shook his head. "Did I miss the insurance policy on the engagement ring I'd be expecting for this kind of payout? Or are you two... expecting?"

Ned shook his head. "I love her, and I've made promises to her," he said. "If something happens to me, I don't want to leave her with nothing."

"Well, a third definitely isn't nothing."

Ned smiled and finished signing off on the rest of the documents. "I'll be in touch with you when we get back. Thanks for hand-delivering, Fletcher."

Fletcher slotted the documents back into his briefcase, then rose and extended his hand. "It's a pretty day and I get some fresh air and some more billable hours? Win-win." He picked up his jacket. "She really must be something special, huh, Mr. Nickerson."

"She is," Ned agreed.

And she was.

Ned knew her flight's scheduled arrival was more a guess than a promise, but he was at the airport fifteen minutes early anyway, his hired car at the curb as he went inside. He checked his outfit one last time; he wore tailored summer-weight slacks and a white button-down with his sleeves rolled up. The weather in New York wasn't blisteringly hot yet, not in early May, but it was much warmer than early spring had been.

Ned wasted the time he waited for his girlfriend by checking his email and reports from his office, but he couldn't focus on anything for long. Her flight was five minutes late and Ned felt every moment of it passing, as though it was another day off the time they would have together over the summer.

They had spent all the time they could together over her school breaks, and Ned wasn't sure how he would be able to let her go back to college in August. She only had two semesters left, but the closer her graduation day came, the more impatient he felt for her.

She came down the escalator into the baggage claim area with the rest of the passengers from the Chicago flight, pulling a small wheeled suitcase behind her, and Ned maneuvered his way through the crowd until he was as close as he could be. As soon as she stepped off the escalator, he took her suitcase with one hand and wrapped his other arm around her, and she laughed in delight. Her red-gold hair was tied up in a high ponytail and her blue eyes were dancing, and from the second he had seen her, Ned had felt everything inside him tune to her. Every time he saw her was like falling in love with her again, and the sensation was addictive, seductive.

"Hey beautiful."

"Hi handsome," she said, tipping her face up and cupping his cheek as he kissed her. Her slender body was pressed tight to his, and when they parted, her lashes were low. A tingle of desire went down his spine, centering in his hips, his gaze locked onto her full berry-pink lips. She grinned at him.

"I've missed you."

"I missed you too," he murmured, and kissed her earlobe, the soft flesh beneath. He smiled when he felt her shiver against him. "Your luggage better be first off the plane; I _really_ need to get you alone, beautiful."

They found a good position near the carousel and he wrapped his arm around her waist, and she around his. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed the point of his jaw, then brushed the trace of her lipgloss from his skin.

"So you look a lot better than I thought you would," Nancy commented, hitching her purse a little higher on her shoulder.

"Oh?"

Her eyes twinkled. "Are you really trying to pretend you didn't have an epic night of debauchery that ended when you plucked some stripper's thong off your guest bed forty-five minutes ago?"

"I sent Vixen home an hour and a _half_ ago, thank you," Ned teased her, squeezing her side gently. "It was pretty epic, but I woke up alone and missing you."

"Mmm. Me too," Nancy murmured.

The carousel jerked into motion, and the crowd around them shuffled forward a little. Nancy and Ned did too, and Ned ducked in to press his lips against her ear. "And when you were in the shower soaping up and thinking about how much you missed me..." he murmured directly into her ear, trailing off as she squirmed, a light blush staining her cheeks as she realized what he was implying.

Then she stood on her tiptoes and murmured directly into his ear, "You mean while I was naked and wet and missing you terribly?"

"Mmm-hmm," Ned murmured, and her eyes were alight when he looked into them.

"Hmm. Guess I'll just have to show you."

Since they were planning on spending two months abroad, Nancy had packed a large suitcase; once they collected it, the driver helped Ned maneuver it into the trunk, and then Nancy and Ned slipped into the backseat. As soon as they were out of public view, Nancy nestled against his side.

It wasn't like they had been apart for a long time. Ever since her birthday, though, since Nancy had told Ned that she could spend this time with him, he had been looking forward to it with such giddy anticipation, and now that it was here...

He dropped a kiss on the crown of her head. "I love you," he murmured, cupping her cheek, then drawing his thumb down the line of her neck, to her necklace. He traced the slender chain down to the love token he had given her over her spring break. The pendant had been warmed by the contact with her skin.

He had told her so much, as much as he dared, but the token was more than that. Their initials linked, joined by a diamond. No other woman in the world had a piece like it.

"I love you," she breathed. "I love you so much and I can't believe we'll be together for so long..."

He wanted more than two months. He wanted her, just her, by his side.

Even though he definitely wanted to take her to his bed as soon as possible and get reacquainted with her again, Louis had prepared them a snack of pressed Cuban sandwiches with freshly-made kettle chips and fizzy cherry-limeade drinks. They ate at the pub table, confirming their plans for the next day. Ned had planned on taking her to his house in Saint-Tropez first, so the three of them were flying out of New York early the following afternoon and would arrive at Charles de Gaulle early the following morning, then taking a much shorter flight to Saint-Tropez. They were flying first-class on their international flight, so they would have plenty of space and legroom, and they would even be able to sleep on the way there. Ned had considered purchasing a honeymoon upgrade for himself and Nancy, but he didn't want to use that until they really _would_ be on their honeymoon. Once they were in Saint-Tropez, they could use his villa as a base, or just stay there. Ned hadn't been back to see it after he had hired an interior decorator to do a redesign, but he had seen pictures and he was looking forward to it.

"So when you say _house_ ," Nancy said, putting her glass back on the table, "do you mean some small, cozy little _chateau_ about half the size of your apartment, or..."

Ned chuckled. "Well, it's technically a villa," he confessed.

"So, not cozy."

Ned paused, then smiled. "How about I show you what I mean when we get there?" he suggested, reaching for her hand. "I'm really looking forward to spending a lot of time with you, but if we wanted to have a few friends over, I'll just say that we could definitely accommodate them."

"And not just in sleeping bags in some cramped guest bedroom, if I know you," Nancy teased him gently, a smile tilting the corners of her lips up.

"Well, I do seem to remember that my incredibly sexy girlfriend was a little nervous when the master bedroom was next to the guest bedroom in Los Angeles," he said softly, stroking the side of her hand with his thumb. "At the Saint-Tropez house, the guest rooms are on the ground floor."

"And the master is on the first?" she said with a smile.

Ned nodded with his own smile. In Europe, the numbering of floors began with the one _above_ the ground floor, instead of _with_ the ground floor as it was done in America. "The whole place was redone; I bought it and let a rental company handle it while I wasn't using it, and after the last party and listening to Louis over there _complain nonstop_ about the kitchen..."

"Hey!" Louis called from the kitchen. "Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but I just didn't think the washer and dryer belonged in there. Not unless I could use them to rotisserie something or steam vegetables."

Nancy chuckled, and Ned did too. "The designer went in and the pictures look amazing. I can't wait to see it. And I can't wait to spend time there with you."

"Saint-Tropez... does that mean it's beachfront?"

"We have a sea view from the house, especially from the upper floor, and it's only a short walk. And there's a pool."

"All that, and someone just wouldn't shut up about a washer and dryer in the kitchen," Nancy chuckled.

"There's just no making some people happy," Ned agreed, as Louis came in, his arms crossed, shaking his head.

"We have some homemade ice cream left, and it will go to waste if I don't use it, so—cookies and cream milkshakes for dessert?"

Nancy smiled. "Maybe a small one," she said, patting her flat stomach. "Lunch was so good, Louis."

Louis smiled at the compliment, and Ned just chuckled. "You know me. I'd love one. And lunch was great."

Afterward, when Nancy said she was a little tired, Ned willingly followed her to his bedroom. He had candles, bubble bath, and champagne ready to pull out if she wanted them; he still had the shampoo, conditioner, and body wash he had bought for her on her previous visit, too. He loved seeing her toothbrush beside his at the sink.

He loved living with her. He loved being with her. As she toed out of her sneakers and took off her socks, then took off her blue t-shirt, his gaze was riveted to her. She took the elastic out of her hair and tossed it out, running her fingers through it before standing and reaching for her fly.

Ned stepped over, unbuttoning her jeans, and Nancy tipped her head back. Her white and navy panties matched her bra, and she sat down on the bed, letting him draw her jeans off. He gently drew his fingertips up the silky skin of her outer thighs, up to her hips, and she shivered, lazily blinking up at him.

"Did you want to take a nap?"

"Yeah," she murmured. "Is that okay?"

Ned nodded. "Honestly I'm a little beat myself," he told her. "And I've missed sleeping beside you, beautiful."

She smiled at him as he stripped down to his underwear too, and together they moved under the covers. He savored the feel of her skin, his fingertips drifting up and down her spine between the back closure of her bra and the band of her panties, and she nestled into him. "Mind taking this off?" he murmured, gently hooking his thumb under the hooks of her bra.

"Mmm. Okay," she murmured, and he unhooked her bra, then drew it off her. She snuggled against him again, her bare breasts pressed against his chest.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too, baby," he murmured.

When he was with her—it wasn't that he ordinarily felt old, or jaded, but every now and then the years between them felt longer than usual. When he was with her, though, he saw the world through new eyes, her eyes. It made him remember how excited he had been to take a first-class flight for the first time, or when he had been invited to a European house party for the first time. He wanted to see everything with her. He wanted to show her everything in London and Paris and Santorini and Rome and Venice that he had already seen, just to share it with her. He wanted her to show him everything she loved, and he wanted to see and share everything else in the world with her, too.

Her skin felt so good under his fingertips. Being in her arms felt like home.

When Ned woke, the light had changed, although it was still bright outside. He was warm and the sheet was still draped over him, but Nancy no longer was. Ned let out a long breath and turned to see her beside him, propped up on her elbow, gazing at him.

"Hi," she murmured.

"Hi," he replied, stretching. "Feeling better?"

Nancy nodded, her gaze on his face. She reached up and cupped his cheek, then ran the ball of her thumb over his lower lip. "Yeah," she said softly. "Feeling much better now."

"What's up, Nan?"

She shook her head slowly. "I love you," she murmured.

"I love you too," he replied. He watched her as she moved close to him, as she stroked her fingertips over him, tracing his ears, his adam's apple, his collarbones. She was fascinated by what she was doing, and when he pushed the sheet down she kept going. She touched his nipples, brushing the base of her thumb against each one, then planted a soft kiss in the center of his chest.

"I can't believe it," she whispered.

"What?" He loosely cupped the back of her head.

"That we'll be together." She planted a slow, tight trail of kisses down the line between his abs. "That I won't just be counting the seconds..."

"I will be," Ned murmured. "I can't quite believe it either. Mmm."

She nuzzled against his crotch through his underwear, and he felt the heat of her skin and lips against his cock before she kept moving down. She kissed his inner thighs, his knees, then moved back up, her bare breasts brushing against his legs. She nuzzled against his cock again, slower and more deliberately, and then she took the band of his underwear in her fingers and began to slowly move it down.

When he was naked, Nancy brought her gaze from his erect cock back up to his face, and Ned reached for her, stroking her cheek. "I remember how shy you were those first times we were together," he said softly. "You wouldn't even let me see you naked. Come here, beautiful."

She had been so tense around him then, too. Now she helped him take her panties off, and she looked relaxed and eager. It had taken them a long time to get to this point, and he loved it.

"I love looking at you," she murmured, reaching for him, and she stroked his hip. "I love all of you, every bit of you, and being with you like this... I feel like my heart could just burst."

"I know exactly how you feel," he told her.

"Can I lock the door?"

Even though Louis had absolutely never walked in on them and would never do anything like that, Nancy still didn't want to risk it. "I can get it," Ned told her, but she had slipped off the bed and walked to the bedroom door before he could. She came back to the bed naked and unselfconscious about it, and Ned's gaze was riveted to the sight before he realized she was walking back on his side of the bed.

She reached the table at his bedside and bent over, tucking her hair behind her ears, and opened the lower drawer. Ned sat up, watching with some interest. He kept various supplies in there, and she had doubtless seen him take lube out of the drawer, but the rest of it was more exotic: flavored massage oil and assorted condoms, a bullet vibrator, a full-sized g-spot vibrator of the same style he always bought; he had been able to talk a few of his conquests into using those for him and letting him watch. The idea of watching his current girlfriend masturbate with the vibrator while he watched made his erection throb.

She didn't pull either of the vibrators out, though. Instead she brought out the cuffs, one finger hooked around a bracelet, and turned to him with a raised eyebrow. "I seem to remember you saying you wanted to use these with me, a long time ago," she murmured. "That you wanted to cuff me to the bed and tease me until I was begging you to fuck me."

The bullet vibrator would definitely help with that, but Ned had a feeling she wouldn't be okay with it when they weren't alone, especially not if it made noise. He hadn't used anything battery-powered with her yet, but when they had the villa all to themselves... he made a mental note to make a quick stop before they left Paris. "That sounds like a dare, Miss Drew," Ned said, raising his own eyebrow.

"You have the key, right?"

Ned snickered. "Of course."

Once he pulled the key out of the drawer and put it on the table, she handed him the cuffs and moved back onto the bed. "You know," he said, keeping his voice casual even when she raised her arms above her head, "it's incredibly hot that you're letting me do this... and it's very hot if you ever want to do it to me."

Nancy quirked her eyebrow up again. "How is that hot?"

"Having a beautiful, sexy woman in control while we fuck? Letting her do what she wants while she rides me? Especially you, gorgeous."

"You've done that before," she said softly, and he didn't detect any accusation in her voice. "I'm not—it's okay; I know you've... done a lot more... interesting things than I've done with you."

Ned left the cuffs on the bed and cupped her cheek. "It was just sex," he said softly. "With them, it was just sex. With you, it's so much more than that. I mean it, Nan."

She gave him a small smile. "Everything is just so new for me," she murmured. "I never imagined it would feel this way, that it could be so incredible. For me, with you... it's always been about love. And I could never do this with anyone I didn't feel this way about... I mean..." She flushed a little. "I'm not saying you were..."

"Fucking everything in sight?" Ned filled in when she trailed off, but he was smiling a little. "I know this might seem strange, but it's... it's almost easier, when there are no feelings involved. Being with someone who only wants pleasure and excitement, and nothing more. No danger of hurting someone's feelings if you suggest something they aren't into. When I'm with you, though, the way you feel is all I care about. I want to make sure you're happy and satisfied, that you're never uncomfortable or upset. I don't care about doing something new just for the sake of doing something new or different. What I do care about is making sure that anything you and I do together is good for you. If you want me to cuff you to the bed and tease you until you're begging me, then I'd love to..."

She reached up and touched his cheek. "And I want to make you happy," she whispered. "I don't want you to ever, not for a single second, regret being with me... because what we have together, Ned, the way you have always been so tender and sweet with me, and so generous and incredible... I know that if you had chosen to, you could have been with a different woman every night for the past year, getting the craziest sex of your life..."

"And I would have been miserable," he murmured. "It wouldn't have mattered if they weren't you. It would have been like jacking off when we're apart... because I would have wanted you, Nan. Even as hard as I tried not to fall in love with you, I would have been lonely without you. When I woke in the morning I would still ache, knowing you weren't beside me.

"I have never, for a single second, regretted a moment we have spent together. When I'm with you... I see it and feel it all over again, baby. Everything we do together is new because it's with you, and I have never been with anyone I cared so much about. I want to share everything with you, Nancy Drew. I want to give you everything because you give _me_ everything, you _have_ given me everything..."

Her eyes were gleaming. "I miss you so much when you aren't beside me," she murmured. "I want to share everything with you. I want to know how everything makes you feel, I want to see everything you love. I want to please you in every way I can..."

He reached down and gently brushed his fingertips up her inner thighs, and she shivered. "You do," he told her. "You make me so happy, Nan."

She raised her arms again, and shivered when he locked the cuffs around her wrists, securing her to the headboard.

"Normally," he told her quietly, "I'd use a vibrator with you..."

Nancy shivered, her eyes widening. "You mean..."

"I have a small one that would probably make you go crazy if I ran it over your clit right now," he told her. "Not the big one, although that one would work too."

She frowned a little. "Why would you want to put... that... inside me when you could be inside me yourself?"

He shrugged, trailing his hand up to cup her breast. Her nipple was already hard before he began to brush his thumb back and forth, over it. "Maybe because it's like porn," he said quietly. "The vibrator's always hard, and for as long as the batteries hold out I could fuck you with it for as long as you wanted. And even after, too, really. To work a dildo up inside you and watch you scream and arch and beg me. But it would be hotter to watch you with it."

Her blush deepened. "While you were touching me?"

He shook his head. "To watch you masturbate, Nancy. To watch you make yourself feel good. Sometimes you're embarrassed about talking to me when something hurts, when you want more... but you could just show me. And that would be incredibly hot."

She shook her head. "I... I would be so embarrassed," she murmured.

"I wouldn't ask you to do that if you were uncomfortable with it."

She relaxed a little. "Okay," she said softly.

He hooked his arms behind her knees and bent them, then parted them as wide as he could. He could smell the faintly musky scent of her arousal, and her lips were parted, her gaze on him. He began at her knee, kissing the side gently before he nuzzled and kissed his way down her inner thigh, almost reaching her crotch before he moved to the other side.

"I love your skin; it's so soft," he told her, moving back. When she began to move her knees back together a little, he pushed them open again. "I'm sorry. Am I in control?"

Her brow furrowed a little. "What do you mean?"

"I have you cuffed but they're play cuffs. And I'm pretty sure you could break out of them if you wanted."

"Yeah," she admitted with a smile. "Not immediately, but yeah."

"So you letting me cuff you is like a game."

She nodded. "Yeah. I guess so... _oh_..." Her hips rocked up once, gently, as he cupped the join of her thighs; he could feel the slick lips of her sex against his palm.

"Part of that game is being in control," he told her. "Just like I'd be at your mercy if you cuffed me... part of it is letting me do what I want with you."

"And if I don't like it?"

"Then we come up with a word, and when either of us says that word, the game is over and we stop. But, beautiful, it doesn't work if you don't agree. Like if I started getting you ready for anal and you didn't want to do that, you would have to say the word to stop me."

"Couldn't I just say 'stop'?"

"As long as you aren't just pretending to be reluctant."

"So if I said, 'Oh, no, stop...'" Her voice was low, almost a moan, and she gasped at the end of it.

"Then I wouldn't be sure if you meant it, and I'd probably keep going," he said softly, and ran his fingertip up the slit of her sex. She arched her back, making a soft pleading sound.

"And if I said 'Stop.'"

Her voice was still lower than her usual speaking voice, but it was forceful and serious, and Ned immediately stopped. "Then that would work," he said.

She nodded. "Please keep going," she murmured. "Please."

Ned smiled and touched her again.

"Okay... I'm not saying I want you to show me, just tell me, but—how would I know if you wanted to... do anal?"

Her voice was barely a whisper by the end of it. "That's not something I'd surprise you with," he told her. "Kind of like how you and I agreed together that we would have sex the first time, and we both wanted to do that. I'd want you to be as relaxed as you could be, and just like we did at first, I'd use lube and finger you, and once you weren't as tight, we would have sex that way. Start off slow and gentle because I wouldn't want to hurt you."

"Do most women like it?"

"I don't care what most women like, Nan, only what you like."

"And if I didn't..."

"Then we would stop. Just like I stopped when we were... practicing those first few times, and it hurt you so much that you weren't feeling any pleasure from it. We stopped then, and I would stop in that case too."

He touched her clit and she let out a soft moan. "You... you asked me if I would do it," she said softly. "So you want to do that."

"Not if you don't want to," he repeated. He kept his thumb rubbing against her clit and traced the slick folds of her sex with his fingertips, without sliding them into the slick hollow between.

"Mmm..." He watched a slow blush spread over her chest, up her neck. Her blue eyes were gleaming, and she wrapped her fingers around the slats in the headboard. "I would do almost anything for you. If it would make you happy, I would... I would let you watch me..."

Ned growled softly before ducking in and catching her nipple in his mouth and sucking hard. She rocked her hips in response, sighing. "I'm wrapped around your little finger," he whispered into her skin. "The woman who doesn't give a damn about gifts, I would shower in them. The woman I would do anything for, would do anything for me. I'm at _your_ mercy, Nancy. I have been for so long."

She shivered again when he barely brushed his fingertip against the entrance of her sex and felt how slick she was, hot and ready for him. "I love you," she moaned.

"I love you too," Ned murmured, latching onto her other breast and suckling hard as he finally pressed one finger into her sex.

Nancy whimpered, rocking up against him. "Feels so good," she moaned.

She trembled when he caught her nipple between his teeth and gently bit her; she rocked her hips a little harder in response, and Ned smiled at her reaction. Maybe he didn't care any more what other women liked, but all the sex he'd had with other women had shown him how to make it good for her, what she might like and what she probably wouldn't. He didn't know if she would like anal, but he had a feeling getting her drunk first would help—but only if she agreed to try it when she was still sober. He hated the idea of her waking up in the morning hurting and regretting what had happened the night before.

He brought his fingers, slick with her warm arousal, up and rubbed them over her left breast, then licked and sucked the tangy taste of her sex off her skin. He took her legs and pushed her knees back until she was as open and vulnerable to him as she could be, and when he ran his thumbs up and down the outer lips of her sex, she trembled. She was panting, her breath audible.

"Do I need to beg you?" she moaned. "Ned, please, oh God _please_..."

"Please what?" he said softly, a smile curving his lips. He was enjoying it way too much.

She released a breathy moan as Ned kept his hips between her spread thighs and leaned over her, cupping her ass, holding her up so he could grind against her. "Ohhhh," she moaned. "Please get inside me, please fuck me... fill me up and stroke my clit until I come..."

"Inside you?"

"Inside my... pussy," she whispered, and he could feel the hot blush in her cheek as she said it.

"That hot, tight, sweet pussy," Ned growled against her ear, and he loved it when she shuddered under him. "Tell me what you want to feel inside you."

"Your cock," she whispered, and Ned's hips rocked harder against hers, his erection coming into contact with her slick inner flesh as she said it. "I want to feel every hot, hard inch of that big thick cock inside my pussy, Ned. I want you to fuck me hard, the way you've imagined every single night we've been apart, the way I've imagined every single night..."

Ned grasped his cock and moved so the head was rubbing against her clit, the tender slippery button of flesh, and she gasped and rocked against him. "And when you imagined it," he growled in her ear, feeling her quiver and resolving to hold out just a little while longer. "You would get so wet for me, wouldn't you."

"Yes," she whispered.

"And what would you do, baby?"

She made a soft sound. "It's dirty," she whispered.

Ned's cock twinged. He didn't think she had any idea how her shy reluctance was feeding directly into his fantasies, that image of her as sweet and innocent and drawn to him, awakening to her own sexuality through her attraction to him. "Tell me," he whispered, and gently ran the head of his cock down her slick inner flesh, toward her opening. To the place where, he had told her, they were made for each other, where they were perfect and whole and one, no doubt, no fear.

He moved to look into her eyes, but she lowered hers. "I..."

"Look at me," Ned whispered. "Tell me, baby. I'll tell you that I would think about you sweet and tight and creaming yourself when you rode me, working your clit while you bounced up and down on my cock. I dreamed about that sweet little mouth wrapped around my dick, and then I woke up and missed you so much, and yours was the face I imagined when I touched myself. I was touching myself for you. Were you touching yourself for me?"

She nodded, blushing, and Ned ran the head of his cock against her sex again, and she shuddered. "In your bed at home?"

She shook her head. "I... we were on the phone and I missed you so much," she whispered. "I thought about how great it would be if you were with me, what you would do to me, how you would touch me... and then I decided to take a shower; I thought that might help me calm down... but as soon as I was naked, just the _air_ made me feel..."

"More horny," Ned finished, when she trailed off. Nancy nodded slowly.

"Then what did you do, baby?"

"I got in the shower," she whispered. "The water... I wanted to cool down so the water was cool and it almost felt like needles... and I held my arms up and let the spray hit my breasts... oh, it felt so good, but I just felt even more wet..."

"And you're getting wet just talking about it," Ned whispered. God, her sex was so incredibly slick against the head of his cock, and he was practically trembling in anticipation himself. She nodded again, then bit her lip.

"I imagined you like this," she whispered. "I wanted to feel you like this... I wanted to feel you plunge inside me..."

"So did you do it with your fingers?" Ned murmured.

She shook her head again. "No, worse..."

Ned's eyebrow twitched. "Shampoo bottle?"

"Oh my God, no," Nancy said, shaking her head. "No, I... I laid down in the bottom of the tub and opened my legs and... I thought since the water was cold maybe it would help me cool off, but... I spread myself open and the water hit my clit and I moved so it was... it was running right against my clit, and down against my... against my pussy, and God, it felt so good..."

"Shit," Ned whispered. "So you masturbated with the shower head. God, that is so hot. Did you do it until you came?"

"Yeah," she whimpered. "It was so fast, Ned, and it felt so good..."

"God," Ned groaned again. "Oh my God, baby. Maybe you don't want to use a full-size vibrator for me, but if you let me watch you do that? It would be so hot..."

He moved just inside her and she jerked under him. "It was so dirty," she whispered.

"And I can just picture it," Ned murmured, and thrust forward rapidly. "Mmm. And what were you imagining, while you were holding those slick pussy lips open so the water could fuck you, baby?"

"You," she moaned, her inner flesh so slick and tight against his cock as he pressed his full length inside her. "You with me like this... and feeling the water against my clit, it was so good and it just didn't _stop_... and I wanted you so bad..."

She sobbed when he brought his hand between them and deliberately rubbed against her clit. "Baby, before our trip's over you are going to fucking _cream_ yourself at the sight of that little vibrator," he predicted. "If you liked masturbating that way, that little vibrator against your clit is gonna be incredible for you, I think. I know you thought it was dirty and bad, but God, just think about it, baby. In my shower, with the hand-held..."

She shuddered. "Ned," she panted.

"Holding those slick pussy lips open while you hold the shower head between those gorgeous legs... yeah, baby," he groaned as she bucked under him in response. "Oh yeah, baby. Did you watch? Did you look down at that pink clit while the water stroked it for you, dirty girl?"

She gasped. "No..."

"God yes, Nan. _Fuck_."

Her hips were jolting with his thrusts, and she was so fucking slick that their joining was audible, and that made it all the more arousing for him. "You feel incredible," he groaned. "So good, Nan. So fucking good..."

"You do too," she whimpered, and arched under him when he rubbed her clit the other way. "Oh fuck, oh _fuck_!"

"That's right, beautiful. Mmmmm. God, you feel so good, and I love you so much... it wasn't bad for you to do that, baby, I do it too and it was so insanely hot to hear about it..."

Her hips rocked back and forth. "I imagined it was your tongue on my clit," she moaned. "And that was what made me come..."

Ned groaned, fucking her harder. "You know you did, beautiful."

"I love you," she murmured. "I love that when we're like this, it isn't wrong..."

"It isn't," he agreed. "It's incredible."

"I was made for you."

"Just like I was made for you," he whispered. "My beautiful one, my only love."

"Mine," she cried, wrapping her legs around him and bucking her hips.

"Mine," he grunted, rubbing her clit harder, and she sobbed out a broken cry. "Mine forever."

When she came she let out a silent scream, her body straining under and against his, tensing and relaxing with the apex and nadir of his every thrust. He grasped her hip and stiffened over her as he let himself come inside her, his bare cock fully sheathed in her pulsing, slick, tender sex, and she was flushed, panting for breath. She moaned when he collapsed to her, his cock still buried between her thighs, her body tangled around his.

"God," he whispered. "Holy God."

"Mmm," she moaned. He stayed pillowed against her hot, slender body until she relaxed her legs and let them sprawl open under him, and even that was unspeakably hot.

Once he could breathe again, he slowly pulled out of her and she moaned. He reached for the key to the cuffs and cleaned them both up after he had freed her wrists, and when he returned to her, she was still blushing.

Ned brushed her hair off her cheek. "Look... what you did in the shower, it made you feel good and it didn't hurt anyone," he told her, then tipped her chin up so he could look into her downcast eyes. "It's not bad, sweetheart. I think it's hot. Would I want you doing that with anyone else? Hell no. But... remember the first time we were in bed together that you let me make you come, and then you wanted to watch me jack off?"

She nodded. "Yeah."

"You were curious," he said. "And I'm curious too. Knowing that you were thinking about me while you did it is even hotter. And if we'd somehow been on the phone at the same time, God, I can't even imagine it..."

She gave him a very small smile, even though she was clearly still feeling shy about what she had done. "Phone sex?"

"Yeah. Although the best phone sex is on speakerphone, so you have both hands free."

"Yeah. Speakerphone when it's night and both my dad and Hannah are asleep a few doors down." Her tone was skeptical.

"I can see how that might dampen your enthusiasm," Ned said softly, and brushed the tip of his nose against hers, and she chuckled. "Especially since I had to talk you into fooling around at my parents' house when they weren't even on the same floor."

"Phone sex..."

"Yeah." Ned leaned in and placed his mouth directly against her ear, his voice a low growl, and she wrapped one leg loosely around his waist. "My beautiful girl naked and sprawled wide on a bed at the other end of a phone line, acting a little shy but her heart beating so hard when I tell her to rub her thumb against her pert little clit, and then start working a finger inside her tight sweet pussy, so I could listen to her moan and the springs creaking while she fucked her fingers. Mmmm."

"And then," Nancy whispered, her lips against his ear too, "I'd hear a knock at the door, and there you'd be, ready to tackle me to the bed and fuck me since I was already slick and hot and ready for you..."

"But if I was in Europe at the time?"

"Hmm." She kissed his earlobe. "Then I'd have to be sure to put on a robe before I answered the door. A messenger would hand me a package and inside I would find... a vibrator you'd had made that was the exact same size as your dick."

"Mmm. I like where this is going, as long as the messenger's gone."

"Oh, he's gone. But you'd still be on the phone with me..."

"And I'd tell you to lube up that vibrator by licking and sucking on it like you would my real cock," he murmured. "And then I'd beg you to take a picture with your phone and send it to me."

"So you could jack off looking at it."

"Well, of course," he murmured, so matter-of-factly that Nancy chuckled.

"And I'd refuse, because good girls don't send their boyfriends photos of them sucking on a plastic cock."

"Sure they do." Ned tweaked her nipple and Nancy shivered.

"Anyway. Then I would... what would I do with it, Ned?"

"After it was good and slick, and after _you_ were good and slick..." He rolled her onto her back and she willingly opened her legs to him. For a second he considered pulling the vibrator out and demonstrating on her, but he decided against it; getting it out of the packaging and making sure the batteries were inside would probably kill the mood anyway. "I'd tell you to fuck it like it was my cock, and to let yourself be loud, to moan and cry and whisper my name while you worked that toy inside you until you came."

"But it wouldn't be _you_."

He shook his head, stroking her hip. "But the thought of your pleasure... it's intoxicating," he murmured. "The worst thing about phone sex... God, I'd beg you to set up a webcam so I could watch."

Nancy flushed again and shook her head. "And I'd die of shame if someone managed to hack into my webcam feed and watch that, if he wasn't you," she said.

"Would that be the only thing stopping you?" Ned asked curiously, stroking her flushed cheek again.

"Or someone knocking on the door and interrupting," she said after a moment.

"So later, once Louis has left for the night...?"

She looked down, then up into his eyes. "Maybe," she whispered.

Ned groaned. "God. If I thought you'd go for it, I'd send Louis home right now."

Her eyes twinkled. "Patience, Mr. Nickerson," she said, tipping up to kiss him gently before she began to move out of the bed and pick up her clothes again.

He shook his head, watching her. "Always," he whispered, and she replied with another smile.

\--

Three weeks of their vacation had passed when Nancy and Ned walked up to the door of the Saint-Tropez villa again, both of them exhausted. "Home sweet home," Ned christened it as they walked in and turned off the alarm system.

"Mmm," Nancy agreed, hobbling over to the couch and letting herself fall onto it, her eyes closed.

When they had joked that they would spend their vacation solving mysteries and sleeping beside each other, he had no idea that the remark would prove so accurate. After settling in at the villa for a day, they had departed for London for three days, and Nancy had listened to the sob story of a fellow tourist who had been the victim of a purse snatcher and was now without her passport, plane tickets, or money. Before she and Ned left London, Nancy had returned her purse to her and brought the pickpocket to the local police station. That had just been the beginning.

People in trouble seemed to gravitate to her, somehow. They trusted her when they didn't want to go to the police, and all she had to do was flutter her lashes and criminals ignored her, dismissing her as harmless. With Nancy, Ned chased a cat burglar across rooftops and through alleys in Paris. She made friends with a "socialite" in Rome who came up with some vague association with Ned, and when the "socialite"'s friends tried to kidnap Nancy for the significant ransom Ned could have afforded to pay, she escaped and managed to get cell phone photos of all the kidnappers to forward to the police before leaving. Nancy had sprained her ankle on that case, though; at least it had healed some. Three days ago, Nancy and Ned had reunited a lost toddler with her mother. The day before, Nancy had helped an elderly woman in Greece track down and call her long-lost granddaughter in America.

He understood now what she had meant when she said she hadn't really _seen_ many of the places she visited. He wasn't sure how they had managed to make it to the top of the Eiffel Tower, or into the Vatican, without being waylaid by criminals or meeting any unlucky teenaged runaways. In the little downtime they'd had between spontaneous cases, they had eaten at small, exclusive restaurants, visited both tourist traps and small mostly-forgotten landmarks off the beaten path. One day Ned had rented a plane and they had toured a monastery that was otherwise almost unreachable.

For the next week, though, Ned had exactly one plan: to rest up, have plenty of sex with his girlfriend, and relax during their house party before they departed for India.

Nancy had broached the topic during the long flight over. Bess and George would love to see his house in France for a few days, and many of Ned's circle of friends were able to come to Europe with little notice. They had agreed to invite Bess and George over for the last week they would be spending in Saint-Tropez, and Louis had spent the past two weeks touring restaurants and speaking to chefs in Europe. He would be back the next morning to stay with them through the house party at the end of the week, and then Louis would depart for his home in New York while they proceeded to India.

Ned sighed as he sat down beside his girlfriend, and though he relaxed, he didn't close his eyes.

Nancy had said the villa didn't sound all that cozy when he described it to her, but Ned had definitely been impressed by the new design and upgrades. A large flat-panel television was set above the fireplace, with plenty of plush seating on the long couches; accent pillows in various shades of sea green, turquoise, and cream tied them to the abstract rug beneath. The floor was smooth, unpolished Mediterranean stone the color of sand. From the front door, the open plan meant they could see right through Louis's sleek professional-grade kitchen to the outdoor dining area and patio, and past that to the pool and the absolutely gorgeous seaside view. The designer hadn't used the typical pop pieces for the wall art; instead, most of them were vintage photographs of frolicking families at the seaside, bathing beauties, sunglasses and lifeguard stands. Opposite the couches and television stood a pool table and air hockey game.

The ground-floor guest rooms were all sumptuous and comfortable, and each had its own bathroom with a stand-up shower. Upstairs was the master suite, though, and it was beautiful. Much like his apartment in Los Angeles, the walls were glass to let the light pour in when they wished, and shaded to keep it out when they wanted darkness and privacy. The outdoor kitchen just outside the downstairs kitchen was kept shaded and protected by the private balcony off the master suite upstairs. It had large his-and-hers bathrooms with sunken tubs and a rain-style shower head in his, a detachable one in hers, and the designer had come up with a way to recycle the water from the sink and shower into the toilet and thus conserve it. The roof was partially covered in a solar panel array as well. The large bedroom boasted an equally oversized bed, a chaise longue and an enormous television set, and a small area for Ned to use as an office. On that upstairs patio, no one could see them; they could sunbathe naked if they wished.

After he had given her the grand tour of the house on their arrival, even outside to see the sparkling jewel-blue pool with its row of lounging chairs, Nancy had turned to him with a wide smile. "It's beautiful, Ned," she had told him. "It's so beautiful."

He had invited women to the Saint-Tropez house before, had thrown crazy parties there, but the redecoration made it feel new, and helped wipe away the memory of all those other parties and other partners. Nancy hadn't looked at it and coveted being the mistress of it, and if Ned hadn't allowed it to be rented out for the rest of the year, he would have filled it with pictures of the two of them, asked her to put her own touch on it, to make it hers. With a soft indulgent smile he wondered if, given another month, the spare bedrooms would house not friends and relatives, but unfortunate victims of crimes and other people who had begged for Nancy's help.

He remembered the flowers he had given her when they had been in Canada for Valentine's Day, and how pleased she had been when he had sent them to the hospital. She was the kind of person who would have offered what they had and couldn't use to others, to help them. He loved that about her.

He loved her, period, and that made everything about her all the sweeter.

They'd had sex practically every night she wasn't on her period, too, and sometimes that had meant once at night and again in the morning. Sometimes it had meant making love for hours, until they were both exhausted, trembling, spent. His instinct about the vibrator had proven right, too. She had been a little reluctant to try it at first, and she was only comfortable with using the small one so far, but when he placed it against her clit and turned it on, her physical response to it was immediate and overwhelming. He loved that it left his hands free to fondle and explore her, to hold her hips in place as he drove into her, and when they had been at the Saint-Tropez house and Louis had been gone, he had _loved_ bringing her to orgasms so intense that they left her screaming, shuddering uncontrollably, her hips jerking and grinding against his. On the nights they weren't having sex, and even after they already had, he loved holding her, feeling her relax against him with a contented sigh. He loved the scent of her hair and of her skin, the way her breast fit into his cupped palm, the way she laced her fingers between his and held his hand against her as she slept.

He had never loved sleeping with another person in his bed before, not the way he loved sleeping with her.

He loved helping her on her cases, but he hated seeing her hurt. The first night after her ankle had been injured, he had been as considerate and gentle with her as he could be. She was breathtaking, though. She was tenacious and dedicated, and with each passing day he could see it more clearly.

On some level, she did need him to help her with turning her sleuthing into a business. Her first impulse was always to work for free, or to accept some small, otherwise valueless token as payment. She was sympathetic to a fault and felt duty-bound to help anyone she saw in trouble. She wouldn't walk away from something without giving it all she could. Coming up with a fee structure would be one thing; getting her to stick to it would be something else entirely.

After a long moment, Nancy roused a little, sitting up and pushing her hair out of her face. As far as Ned was concerned, they had pushed far past the point of exhaustion for a few days now, and he was looking forward to some uninterrupted rest. "Hey sweetheart," he murmured, giving her a smile when she turned to look at him.

"Hey," she replied with her own smile. "God, I'm beat."

Ned nodded, then stood. Instead of reaching for her hand to help her up, he bent over and swept her into his arms.

"Ned," she protested softly, but then she gave up and just cuddled against him, her head against his shoulder and her arm around him. "Thanks. It'll be nice to put my leg up for a while."

"Still hurting?" he asked as he started to climb the stairs with her. Something about being alone with her here, carrying her... he wondered if they would be doing something similar again soon, but if she might wear a long beautiful dress instead, a new ring on her slender finger. He hoped that she wouldn't have the bum ankle then, either.

Not that he had even asked yet.

"A little." Her cheek was warm against his shoulder, through his thin t-shirt. She was more likely to be wearing sunscreen than makeup; she was more likely to be wearing sensible sneakers than a pair of sky-high stilettos, especially when they were sightseeing. She didn't put on a false face for him. When he gently deposited her on the bed, on their enormous pillow-soft comforter, her eyes were closed, and he saw a faint smile on her face.

He slipped her sandal off, gently inspecting her foot; while the bruise still looked painful, it wasn't nearly as swelled as it had been, but all their activity hadn't exactly helped. He propped her foot up on a pillow, then retrieved a glass of water and a dose of pain reliever for her. She accepted them gratefully.

The entire villa was air-conditioned, which was apparently a luxury. Even so, as soon as he was in bed beside his girlfriend, Ned slipped out of his shoes and shirt, then his shorts. He craved the feel of her skin against his; if she was feeling up to it in a few hours, they could take a dip in the pool together. He doubted she would be up for what he had in mind once Bess and George arrived and they weren't alone anymore.

Nancy sat up too, slipping her shirt off, and Ned helped her slide her shorts off without hurting her foot. When she was down to her pale blue and white-striped bra and panties, she fell back against the bed with a sigh. Ned laced the fingers of his left hand through those of her right, reaching up with his other hand to gently trace the edge of the token hanging around her neck before he rested his palm over her heart. Her skin was faintly damp, and she made a soft noise as she angled her body toward his.

"Oh, I heard back from Fare," he commented softly. "He'll be getting in on Wednesday. I guess I'll just have to find a way to keep him and the other guys occupied while you and Bess and George are solving a murder or ransoming the Pope."

Nancy chuckled, her eyes closed. "I'll try to leave some of the heavy lifting to the cops," she murmured, then opened her beautiful blue eyes and looked into his. Ned felt his heart give one hard pound in his chest.

They had met a year earlier, but looking into her eyes, every time, felt like the first time again. Every time felt like falling in love with her again. Spending practically three solid weeks in her presence hadn't dampened it.

"I'm really sorry," she whispered, and looked down. "I really am. I don't mean..."

He cupped her cheek, brushing his thumb against her lips. "Shh," he murmured. "Nan, it's okay. Like I told you—no matter what, I'm happy to be with you. Climbing a drainpipe in Paris or stalking a pickpocket in London..."

"Instead of lounging all day in a bikini, working on my tan?"

Her nose was dusted with some new freckles; Ned leaned forward and brushed his own nose against hers. "Only if it made you as happy as helping that little girl find her mom did."

She smiled at him again. "Being with you makes me happy, too."

He had wanted to shower her in presents; he had wanted to buy her a new piece of jewelry for every country they visited together, or at least a charm for a delicate bracelet. Instead, she had asked him to just buy her an inexpensive Christmas ornament in each place. Now she had a delicate, ornately-painted porcelain carnival mask ornament from Venice, a miniature La Tour Eiffel, a small black London taxi, a small-scale Parthenon, and a Swiss angel. The two days they had spent with Nancy's great-grandmother in Scotland had been blessedly uneventful, and he had bought her a miniature bagpipe player complete with kilt and reddish-brown beard during that trip. He was hoping she would put them on the tree in his Chicago apartment when they decorated together for the holiday.

Nancy's great-grandmother, Lady Douglas, had given each of them a separate guest bedroom in her large house the night they had stayed with her; it was the only night they had spent sleeping apart on the entire trip. Ned had missed feeling his girlfriend beside him while he slept, and the next night they had almost clung to each other, as though to make up for the separation.

But he had met her grandmother, and Lady Douglas had been very sure to tell Ned he was the first man who had earned the privilege of an introduction as her great-granddaughter's escort. Meeting Nancy's father for the first time had been intimidating, but meeting her great-grandmother had made Ned nervous too. Nancy had told him to just be his normal devastatingly charming self, her blue eyes twinkling. On the flight back, Nancy had assured him that he had made a great impression on Lady Douglas.

Before they had departed, Nancy had told her grandmother that they were in Europe staying at Ned's house in Saint-Tropez, and Lady Douglas had pulled Ned to the side for a brief chat. She did miss her great-granddaughter terribly, Lady Douglas had confided in him, and told him that she was very happy to have the excuse to see her more often. Ned had told her that he would gladly bring Nancy back at least once a year, and even fly Lady Douglas down to the south of France to give her a bit of a holiday too.

Ned could just imagine all the adventures Lady Douglas would get into with his grandmothers. She might have been advanced in years, but her mind was still sharp, and she clearly took an interest in what was going on around her. Just like Nancy.

Nancy let out a soft sigh, and Ned's mind was still wandering when he murmured, "Nan...?"

"Hmm?"

"How do you feel about kids?"

Her lashes had been low. She opened her eyes fully again, quirking one eyebrow up. "Guess it depends on the kid," she said, a hint of quiet laughter in her voice. "I mean... do you...?"

He read the question she wasn't quite daring to ask. "I'm not trying to tell you that I have some," he said with a smile. "Unless I'm far off my mark, I would think any woman who had my illegitimate child would do her best to at least get child support out of me, and I haven't slept with anyone other than you in over a year. The sex I had was always protected and I always flushed the condom myself."

"So there's probably no adorable little Nickerson baby running around out there that you don't know about." Nancy cupped his cheek, stroking it gently. "I didn't think you would have kept something like that from me, not unless you just found out..."

He couldn't stop himself; he turned and kissed her palm gently, and murmured, "And what would you have done?"

She gave him a small smile. "I don't know," she murmured. "But a little boy or girl who was yours... would be part of you. And I love you, so much, Ned. I'd be jealous but I think I could find a way to get past that, if I needed to."

"Jealous?" Ned repeated, holding her gaze.

Her lips twisted slightly, and she looked down, but Ned gently brought her chin back up. "I know that if you feel the same way about me as I do about you, that I have nothing to worry about when it comes to the other relationships you've had," she murmured. "You've told me so many times that you've never felt this way about anyone else, and I feel the same way. But a child... that's something else entirely."

Ned paused for a moment. "Well, to put the question a little differently... do you ever want to have children, Nan?"

She thought for a moment, with Ned searching her face. "I... to be honest with you..."

"Always. Please."

Nancy bit her lips on the inside, then looked up at him again. "I... I don't want to have children, yet," she said. "Not until I'm finished with my degree."

"Makes sense," Ned said neutrally.

She paused again. "You and I have said that we'll be... that this is forever. That we don't want to be with anyone else."

"I meant that, sweetheart. I still do."

He could feel her heart pounding harder, her pulse echoing under her skin. "I meant it, too. No matter what. And when we're both ready, the idea of having your child... I'd like that, but it's easy to say that when the decision is a few years away." She gave him a small smile. "But... I'm not saying this is a dealbreaker, that I wouldn't hear you out if you didn't feel this way, but... I would rather us take that step after... well... if we were married."

He smiled at her, more broadly than she had. "Somewhere I'm sure my mother is feeling happy and isn't quite sure why," he teased Nancy gently. "I totally understand."

"Do you—do you feel that way?"

Ned gave her a gentle kiss. "Well, since we're being honest... if you told me in a month that the birth control hadn't worked and you were pregnant, then I wouldn't be upset. We've already said this is forever; we didn't say 'but not if we accidentally get pregnant.' And if you decided that you wanted us to keep the baby, I would support and love you both. That child would have my name on the birth certificate, and I wouldn't love him or her any less if we weren't married at the time.

"But... yeah. I would want to do that when we were both ready, and I think part of that would be marriage."

She searched his eyes. "Okay," she said tentatively, and then gave him another smile.

"Does that mean you're not totally opposed to the idea?"

She kept her injured foot on the pillow and scooted a little closer to him, putting her head on his shoulder. "I want you," she said softly. "And I'll take what I can have with you. I was so happy when you told me you didn't want to be with anyone else either, that this was forever..." She bit her lip. "I never thought I'd ever find anyone like you, Ned Nickerson."

"And I never in a million years thought I'd find anyone like you, Nancy Drew," he murmured.

He hadn't thought it would be so simple. It hadn't been, really.

She sighed, shifting her weight onto her hip and cuddling against him. "Everything you've already given me has been incredible," she murmured. "And I know the words are cheap... I love this house and I love being here with you, and I'd be just as happy if we had managed to swing a room at a crappy little seaside motel, and we were eating whatever the Italian equivalent of ramen noodles is between free sightseeing trips. I'd love you just as much if you were a broke college student and we were talking about building our lives together.

"But..." She pushed herself up a little, propping her head up and gazing into his eyes. "Ned, I love you so much. You and what we have when we're together. The way it feels like a part of me has known you my entire life. No one else understands me the way you do. And... deciding to get married... if that's what we want to do... I just want you to understand that..." She glanced down, then back up at him. "I will love you forever, no matter what. I want to be with you forever. As your girlfriend if that's what you want. I just don't want you to ever think that I'm with you for what you can give me, because you are the only gift I could never live without."

He smiled at her. "And I love you," he told her, his voice soft, almost reverent as he touched her cheek. "You're everything I have ever wanted, and..." He swallowed. "Total honesty, I've adjusted my will. In case something happened to me, I wanted you provided for."

Nancy raised her eyebrows. She opened and closed her mouth, but she didn't say anything.

"Right now, you get a third. A third goes to my parents and grandparents, to the house..."

"Ned," she whispered. "Oh God. I..."

"I know. My attorney didn't like it either."

Nancy shook her head. "No, it's not... If anything ever happened to you..."

"I don't plan on anything happening to me," he reassured her. "Although, given those close calls when we were in Venice and Paris..."

Nancy shook her head again rapidly, then reached for him, clinging to him. She whispered his name again.

"Nan, it's okay," he murmured, stroking her hair. "I didn't mean to upset you. It's just... that's the way it works. I plan for it and then I can forget about it."

She took a long breath. "But there's no way to plan for that," she whispered. "No way to... to even think about it. Ned, nothing, _nothing_ could ever make up for losing you."

He kissed her temple. "I know," he said softly. "Nothing could ever make up for losing you, either."

Nancy sniffled. "But you..."

"Hmm?" Ned murmured when she trailed off.

"But even knowing that... you still let me do what I want..." She tipped her chin up and kissed him softly. "I've seen it, the way loving something too much can make a person grip it so tight that she ends up destroying it."

"And I could forbid you," Ned said softly. "And make you miserable, and you'd lose a part of you that made me so attracted to you in the first place, and I would end up losing you anyway. Or I could acknowledge that you're good at what you do and that makes you happy, and I'm so proud of you. I would rather see you happy, beautiful. Always."

She snuggled against him, and her fingertips brushed against his ear. "I love you so much," she whispered.

"I love you too, baby."

Dinner that night was thanks to delivery service. The local section of the beach was dotted with luxurious vacation homes, and the market had evolved to accommodate their tastes. Nancy laughed when they translated the menu from French to English, ignoring the tourist-friendly version on the other side. She dared him to try a chicken curry pizza, and Ned agreed—with the understanding that she owed _him_ a dare, too. She decided to try the "tex-mex" pizza, and just in case their pizzas were inedible, Ned ordered an entree salad and a roasted half-chicken.

The pizzas weren't bad, but they weren't the usual American fare either. Nancy hesitantly tried a slice of the chicken curry pizza she had convinced him to order, and Ned had to admit that with a Heineken, the tex-mex pizza wasn't so bad.

Nancy had come down for dinner wearing a casual t-shirt dress and sandals. They ate on the patio, watching the sun set over the sea, the orange and pink sunset reflected in the pool just a few feet away from them. She sipped her own beer, and when she finished it she switched to water. Then they lounged together near the pool on the same chair, drowsing against each other.

Ned chuckled softly, reaching up to brush a strand of hair from her cheek. Nancy responded to the faint trembling in his chest, opening her eyes. "What?" she murmured, a smile curling her lips.

"Just imagining how crazy it's going to get when we have a house full of guests," he replied. "Good thing we're getting some rest now. They don't stop until four a.m., usually."

"And then they sleep in until...?"

"Four p.m.," Ned confirmed with a chuckle.

Nancy chuckled too. "If life's like a vacation, how do you know when you _are_ on vacation?" she pointed out.

"Change of venue, I guess," Ned murmured. "Hot chicks who speak a language you don't know, and more exotic wines."

"Mmm." Nancy shifted to find a more comfortable angle. "Can you just promise me that things aren't gonna get _too_ crazy?"

Ned grinned. "Guess I need to know what you mean by _too_ crazy."

"Nothing... illegal, I guess?" Nancy tipped her chin back so she could look into his eyes. "I mean... first it's champagne and liquor and then... I don't know."

"I'll let the guys know that if they want to indulge in anything else, to do it when they aren't here."

Nancy was quiet for a moment, and she searched his eyes. "Like what?" she said softly. "I just hate the idea of one of your friends getting hurt or something..."

"Well, if you mean getting drunk or otherwise intoxicated and wrapping a car around a tree, that's why most of them take car services everywhere. But you're asking what they might be into?"

"What they... what you," she murmured, then looked into his eyes again. "I... I mean..."

"Well, I haven't been there all the time, so I don't know everything they've tried. Weed, coke, heroin probably. Ecstasy for sure. I've never really been into it. When I was in college I would get paranoid just being in the same room with weed; I've probably had a contact high a few times, but that's it. Never tried anything else." He stroked his fingertips down her cheek again. "Beer or liquor was usually it for me."

Nancy nodded twice. "I mean, if you _had_ tried those things..."

Ned shrugged. "Then I'd tell you," he replied. "After all, you already know everything else about me. And you, Nan?"

She shook her head. "None of those things," she murmured. "Sometimes when I'm impersonating someone I might carry cigarettes—asking someone to give me a light is a convenient way to get them to let their guard down—but I don't even like having them near me. Whenever Bess and George went to parties at school and got drunk, I was the one who stayed sober and made sure they were tucked safely into their beds at the end of the night."

"And you were never curious?"

"Were you?" she countered, raising her eyebrow.

Ned shrugged. "Not really. I had enough of a head change from staying up late wired on too much caffeine, honestly. And after enough beers, does it really matter _how_ you're killing your brain cells?"

Nancy shrugged too. "I think I was always afraid of letting my guard down that far," she admitted. "Took Bess and George a lot of convincing before I would drink with them, too. I don't like being out of control."

"I would never have guessed," Ned murmured, keeping his tone light. "After all, I had to pull out the big guns to even get you to consider going out with me."

She gave him a smile. "And I caved so quickly, too."

"You call that quickly?" Ned teased her, sliding his arm around her waist, and she shrieked and giggled when he ran his fingertips over the small of her back, feeling the warmth of her skin through her dress. "Felt like I begged you for three solid days."

"Did _not_ ," she shot back, her blue eyes dancing. "I distinctly remember you playing hard-to-get—and then almost kidnapping me out to your yacht."

"I had to impress the glamorous, impenetrable Nancy Drew somehow." Ned's own eyes were sparkling too, and he loved the faint blush that rose in her cheeks when she caught his double entendre.

Nancy shook her head. "From the first second I saw you I thought you were so incredibly handsome," she murmured, and cupped his cheek. "I'm so glad my dad sent me to New York to work on that case for him."

"So am I, baby," he told her, accepting the kiss she bent down to give him. His fingertips gravitated to the hem of her dress, and he was surprised when she let him slide it up her thighs, until he realized why. She wore her string bikini underneath. For a moment he had actually thought she would let him strip her naked in the moonlight by the pool.

Although, Ned thought, he definitely wouldn't be able to do that when the house was full of guests.

She was straddling his lap when he pulled her dress up, then moaned in appreciation when he saw her coral bikini. He had seen her taking the tags off the swimsuit a few days earlier. She hadn't worn it for anyone else, and she had worn it only when they were alone together, too. The bottoms were modestly cut but they tied at the sides, and the top was small triangles of fabric over her breasts, tied behind her back and at the base of her neck.

"God, you're gorgeous," Ned murmured, trailing his fingertips gently up and down the curve of her slender side, and Nancy shivered against him. He could see the golden reflection of the interior lights in her blue eyes, and when they flicked up to meet his, Ned shook his head and sighed. "So beautiful."

"I've never worn anything like it," she said softly. "Only for you."

"And I love it, baby. Is your foot up for a little moonlight swim, maybe?"

"As long as it's a little one." Nancy kissed him one more time, then stood. "Although I think you're wearing too many clothes..."

Ned stood a little more slowly. "Well," he murmured, and began unbuttoning his shirt. "My swim trunks are _all_ the way upstairs..."

"And I would go get them," Nancy murmured, watching him undress. "But then I might hurt my foot again."

Ned smiled. "Guess I'm out of luck, huh. Good thing there are no neighbors around..."

He stripped entirely, leaving his clothes on the lounge chair. The night was so warm that he was entirely comfortable, and Nancy wasn't shivering in her swimsuit either.

"Now who's wearing too many clothes?" he asked, taking a step toward her. God, he loved the way her gaze kept gravitating to his naked body, to his hips, then shying away again. The lights on the patio were soft and low, but the lights inside the pool came on at dusk, too. It outlined her in a soft glow.

"Mmm," Nancy said with a small smile, shaking her head as she turned toward the steps into the pool. The surface of the water shimmered and rippled around her, and Ned followed, still smiling. They hadn't had sex since the night before, and just being naked around her was enough to make him aroused.

As soon as she could, Nancy ducked beneath the water and surfaced with her hair wet and dark, and streaming. She turned to him, her lashes dark, her lips parted.

"Mmm," Ned murmured again. "Come here, beautiful."

She smiled at him. "Let me just say thanks again for saying okay to inviting Bess and George over," she said as he slipped his arms around her. "It's really nice of you. I know they pretty much spent almost all of spring semester hanging out with us at your apartment..."

"Hey, they're your best friends," he shrugged. "But, sweetheart, if you feel like making it up to me..."

"There's a way to make that up to you?" she smiled, tilting her head.

"Yeah. But I think it's better if I show you." Slowly he backed her up so she was pinned between him and the side of the pool; then he casually extended his arms on either side of her, caging her there. She tipped her chin back, one eyebrow raised. She didn't look nervous, but she did look curious.

"You owe me a dare, too."

Nancy shivered as Ned nuzzled against the join of her neck and shoulder. "And I'm sure you'll find something interesting to dare me to eat when we're in Nepal," she pointed out with a smile.

He hooked his thumb under the tied strings at her left hip and tugged once, gently. "Oh, beautiful... did you really think I was going to dare you to _eat_ something?"

"I... did," she said slowly, and her lashes were low when Ned pulled back to look into her face again. The color in her cheeks was high, though. "Do you mean, like... swallowing when I... when I go down on you?"

"Maybe," he murmured. "But I was thinking that maybe, in the morning, when we're cleaning up and getting dressed..." He toyed with the tie at the back of her bikini top, then ducked down and pressed his lips directly against her ear, and before he had even spoken, when he had just breathed against her, she shuddered. "Maybe I could go into your bathroom, and while you're in the shower, maybe I could watch you..." He reached up and slowly tugged the fabric covering her right breast down to expose it to the night air, then fondled the firm, elastic tip of her nipple with his thumb, and she squirmed but he had left her nowhere to go. "Take the shower head and bring it down, when you're already horny and wet, and let the shower head fuck you, beautiful. Mmm."

When they had showered together on vacation, Nancy had been sure to keep her hands on him, to encourage him to have sex with her, and Ned had figured out why. If they had sex, she was hoping he wouldn't be as interested in what they had talked about before they had left New York. Either way, he was happy, but he still wanted to watch her masturbate, just once.

She released a soft moan and Ned reached up, picking apart the knot at the back of her neck. "Ned," she whispered. He could feel her cheek burning as he nuzzled against her.

"Just once," he murmured. "I just want to see it, beautiful. God, it would be so fucking sexy."

"Have you... watched other girls...?"

"Yeah," he admitted. "With toys sometimes, and a few times two girls with each other..." As he pulled the strings free, he moved to look into her face. "But when you told me about what you did, I've never seen anything like that, not in person, and it sounds so fucking sexy, baby."

She swallowed. "Two girls?" she whispered, searching his eyes.

She might have thought she was hiding her dismay, but he could read it clearly in her voice, in the angle of her brows as she looked up at him. He reached up and cupped her cheek. "It was sex," he said softly. "And I won't deny it was hot, but... the kinds of girls I was with back then, they would do anything for the shock value, just to get a rise out of someone. Literally and figuratively." He smiled. "Made them feel edgy and rebellious to let a guy get off on watching them with other girls, making out and touching each other, and God, I ate it up. We all did. Don't misunderstand me; if you ever want to try a little same-sex experimentation and let me watch, I would more than love a front-row seat."

Nancy shook her head, her eyes gleaming. "No," she said, and it wasn't the half-moaned playful 'no' that was meant to encourage seduction into a 'yes.' "I wouldn't. Not... not even for you."

"And that's fine." He kissed the corner of her mouth, gently. "You know that I won't hide anything from you, sweetheart, or I hope you understand that. No nasty surprises. No girls walking up to us at parties with knowing smirks on their faces, making little jokes about the things we used to do. And, baby, I'm sorry. I can't go back and undo anything I did, or change who I was. I'm with you now, and I'm not going to regret or mourn what I did, only the time I could have been spending with you. If it upsets you to hear about it...?"

She shook her head slowly. "I'd rather know," she said softly. "But sometimes I think I'll never be... enough, for you. I know I'm really shy when it comes to—those things, and I'm not sexy..."

"You're perfect," he told her. "You are."

"But I..."

He touched her lips. "But nothing," he told her. "How many times have I told you how unbelievably beautiful and perfect you are? I love that I get to learn what's good for you, and I love that I make you experience the kind of pleasure you never have before, sweetheart. That I'm the only man who has ever been inside you, and I'm the only man who ever will be." He kissed the tip of her nose, her upper lip. Then he pressed his mouth against her ear again. "And that no other man has ever seen you touch yourself, or watched you orgasm by yourself... God, Nancy, I've never felt jealousy the way I do when it comes to you. I want all of you, beautiful. I want you to share that with me, because I know we'd both get off on it. Tomorrow morning, while Louis is down in the kitchen making our breakfast, I'll lock the door and you can masturbate for me. Please." He nipped gently at her ear. "I dare you."

She was blushing again; he could feel it. "Can I tell you something?" she whispered.

"Of course," he murmured.

"You want me... to take the shower head and move it so the water hits my breasts and—between my legs just right, until I'm weak in the knees and gasping, until I come..."

"Mmm-hmm," he confirmed, and she didn't stop him when he untied her bikini top fully, leaving her practically naked. He left it at the side of the pool and cupped her breasts, and she shivered.

"Right now?"

Ned's cock twitched. "Well, we could, right now," he murmured. "Although that's not what I dared you."

She released another soft moan. "I would want you, if you watched me... to get so hard, so turned on, that you would want to touch yourself too... but then you would take me while I was still shaking after I'd come and take me to bed."

"And then what?"

She shook her head. "You'd show me that no matter how good it felt when I... did that..."

"Masturbated," he said, his voice pitched intentionally low and provocative, and she shivered.

"That it wasn't as good as your hands on me."

"Just my hands?"

"All of you." She lowered her lashes when he touched the ties at her hips. "Ned..."

"If you tell me to stop, I will," he murmured. "Always."

She reached down and touched his hands. "And if I tell you I don't want you to stop?"

He began to untie her bikini bottoms, his heart beating harder. "Mmm. Sex in moonlight with a beautiful woman I love with all my heart. I don't think I can turn that down."

She wrapped her arms around him once she was naked, up over his shoulders, and when he found that she was standing on her tiptoes, he boosted her up and pinned her between him and the edge of the pool so she could take the stress off her foot. "Is being in the water making you hot, Nan?" he growled, as she wrapped her legs around him.

"Being naked with my boyfriend is making me hot," she teased him gently. "Kind of reminds me of our hiking trip last summer. Being naked in the pool with him, being able to see the moonlight on the sea, at his mansion in the south of France? I can't say that entirely sucks, either."

Ned chuckled. "Well, apparently it's bad to have sex actually _in_ water, so we should probably take this back out to the chair where we were." Her hips were rhythmically bucking against his, though, and Ned was finding it harder to think straight. "Shit, baby, that feels so good. You're so fucking sexy."

"So are you," she murmured. "God, you feel so good. You really want me to—to do that?"

"In the morning?" Ned gathered her to him and began to carry her out of the pool, and she nodded. "Mmm-hmm. And I know you like it when I rub your clit while we fuck, but you can do that too... you can touch yourself while I'm inside you."

"And you'd like that too?"

"Fuck yes," he growled.

When they reached the lounge chair again, Ned sat down on it and Nancy kissed him, her body still wrapped around his. "Do you like it better to be on top, or when I'm on top?"

"Both," he told her.

"What's your favorite?"

"I don't know yet," he told her with a smile, his palm lingering on her ass as she bent her legs and shifted her weight onto her knees, still straddling him. "I don't know what your favorite is yet."

"What have we not tried?"

"Oh God, Nan, so many ways."

She nudged his hips, then shoved him gently back so he was partially reclining on the chair and she was in position to mount him. "You've tried a lot before," she said softly, her voice even.

"But not with you," he pointed out. "And that's all I care about. Making you happy, beautiful."

She moved her left leg to that side of the chair, then her right to the other, opening her legs wide and shifting her weight onto the balls of her feet on the patio stones, and Ned swallowed hard in anticipation. "God yes," he murmured.

"So you think this will work?"

He nodded. "Oh yeah, baby. Here..."

She pushed herself up a little and Ned helped her angle his cock between them. "Are you ready?"

She paused for a very brief moment, then nodded, and he fitted himself just inside her. "Here," he murmured, and when he stroked her clit with the ball of his thumb she tipped her head back, her lips parted.

"Mmmmmm. Oh God, so good..."

"Yeah," Ned murmured in encouragement, and soon she was rocking down against him, in shallow tentative thrusts. She hadn't reacted with pain after the first few times they had made love, but unless he had teased her with a _lot_ of foreplay, she generally took their lovemaking slow.

His otherwise shy, modest girlfriend was completely naked, her breasts trembling as she fucked him in the open air, on a pool lounge chair. God. A year ago, he would have been sure this was just a wet dream he was having. Now it definitely _felt_ like a wet dream.

When she took his full length, her hips flush against his, she gripped the back of the chair for leverage and Ned kept one hand at her waist, his thumb stroking her clit, as he brought the other up to fondle her breasts. She moaned, giving a wicked rock to her hips that made Ned's own hips jerk under hers.

"Mmm. Yeah, baby. Move however feels good. Figure eight, back and forth, side to side..."

"Figure eight?" she gasped out.

"Mmm-hmm."

"Ohhhh," she moaned when he flicked her clit with the tip of his thumb. "Oh _fuck_."

"God. You look so incredibly beautiful," he told her. "And it is _very_ fucking sexy to fuck outside like this."

"Just understand," she gasped out, "it won't—happen again..."

"Until we're alone here again?" Ned smiled when she nodded. "You sure?"

She nodded hard, and on her next thrust she clenched her inner muscles tight around his cock, and Ned groaned as he pinched her nipple. "Holy _shit_ , babe."

"Very sure," she gasped. "Oh my _God..._ "

"That's right, baby. Cry as loud as you want; no one's going to overhear you."

When she tipped her head back down, her blue eyes were alight. She shuddered at the deepest point of every thrust, then began panting as she rotated her hips, experimenting with the way she could angle herself as she mounted him. "Oh my _God,_ " she cried more loudly, grinding herself against him, shifting more of her weight to the balls of her feet. Before long she was solidly fucking him, her breasts bouncing, her pussy so slick he heard his cock part the tender folds as she mounted him over and over. He felt the faint pulse of her orgasm as she began to scream, jerking with every stroke of his thumb against her clit. He rapidly fondled each of her breasts, pinching her nipples fiercely and feeling her spasm around him in response.

"God, yes," Ned panted, tensing as he tried to hold himself back. " _Fuck_. That is so good..."

" _God_ ," she sobbed. "Oh my God, Ned, ohmygodohmygod oh _fuck_..."

"That's right, baby, and that wet pussy feels so good... _come_ , Nan..."

She screamed, riding him in rough rapid thrusts, and Ned leaned forward, catching her left nipple in his mouth and sucking hard before bucking his hips up hard under hers at her next thrust. She shuddered and he suckled against the other, digging his thumb against her clit.

She screamed his name, tensing, her eyes rolling back as she came. Ned grasped her hips, holding her in place as he followed, and when he let out a long pleased groan she collapsed to him, both of them gleaming with sweat and trembling from the aftershocks. He could feel her gasped breaths against his neck as he embraced her, her legs still sprawled wide on either side of him, his cock still inside her as he started to relax.

"Fuck," Ned murmured, closing his eyes. " _Fuck_ , that was hotter than hell."

"Mmm," she moaned. "Oh my God. My thighs..."

"Don't tell me," Ned said softly, then reached up and stroked her hair. "We've managed to injure your foot again, so you'll have to stay in bed relaxing. Because you know what would probably be amazing? If we tried this again tomorrow night on the chaise in our bedroom."

She shuddered in response. "So _that's_ why that's in there."

"That's why it's in there _now_." He kissed her cheek. "Sounded like that was pretty incredible for you too."

"Oh my _God_ ," she moaned in reply. " _Shit_ , it was so good. Mmm."

He smiled. "Give me a minute and I'll carry you inside. You definitely deserve it after that."

She chuckled. "Glad I could make you feel good, Mr. Nickerson."

"That was definitely more than _good_."

She snuggled against him for a moment longer, then began to pull herself up. Before he could stop her, she had gathered the pieces of her wet swimsuit and her discarded dress, and stood before him naked, her hair wet and trailing down her back in damp waves. "So I'm definitely going to need to shower all this chlorine off before we go to bed," she commented, her voice deliberately casual. "Very thoroughly. And, I think, in my shower."

"Mmm," Ned murmured, pushing himself up. "That sounds like a good idea. Although I think we're definitely going to get _dirty_ again before morning..."

Her lips twisted up in a small smile. "Is that a threat or a promise, Ned?"

"Definitely a promise."

\--

Ned woke on their last full day in Saint-Tropez to full, bright sunlight. Nancy was sprawled on her stomach beside him, her red-gold hair a messy tangle on her pillow.

He blinked a few times, then rubbed his open hand over his face, feeling stubble against the fleshy base of his thumb. Nancy was naked under the sheets, and so was he; he had barely summoned the energy to put the vibrator on the bedside table before they had curled up together, utterly sated and spent, the party still raging downstairs. Only the soul-deep satisfaction that came from hours of incredible sex with his girlfriend could have made him sleep through bass so heavy it pounded through the walls, setting all the glass to clattering.

The music was off now, though. And Ned hoped he wasn't imagining the faint smell of something warm and delicious downstairs.

He went to the bathroom, and when he came back through he swept all their supplies, the lube and toys and crumpled tissues, into the drawer of the table. The outfit Nancy had been wearing was separated into components, trailing from the door to the bed. He had worked on removing most of them with his teeth, and she had been giggling and moaning the whole time. And of course they had both been more than a little drunk.

He slipped on his shorts, glancing back to make sure Nancy was covered before he headed downstairs. They had the entire upper floor to themselves, but he hated the idea of someone coming up and seeing her naked—and how much that would likely mortify her.

And he had never been more glad for the cleaning service when he saw the wreck of the downstairs living room area. Every surface was cluttered with plastic tumblers, martini glasses, highball glasses, snack detritus, spilled drinks. He spotted a few cell phones, too, and more than a few discarded articles of clothing. All the bedrooms were occupied by their invited guests—and, if Ned didn't miss his guess, probably a few more people as well. Four cars were still parked out front in the horseshoe-shaped driveway.

Louis had a sunny smile on his face when Ned walked into the kitchen, though. He had prepared dinner for their group and some antipasti trays, but he had retired before the night had become particularly crazy. "Good morning," he said, reaching for an oven-safe glove. "Breakfast? Thought you might want something substantial after last night."

"Mmm," Ned said with a slow nod; he and Nancy had both taken aspirin the night before, but that hadn't entirely prevented his pounding headache. He knew it could've been worse, though. "Maybe some juice, too."

"And coffee?"

He took the tray and very carefully carried it upstairs once he and Louis had loaded it with juice and coffee, slices of warm rich quiche and glazed cinnamon-raisin buns. Louis had already started the feast for later; they had decided to grill out, because the weather was expected to be nice, so he was preparing easy side dishes, finger foods, and enough dessert to feed an army.

When Ned walked into their bedroom, Nancy was just stepping out of her bathroom, Ned's button-down shirt swallowing her slender frame. She had her fist at her midsection, holding the sides of the shirt together; when she saw it was him, she opened her fist, and Ned swallowed hard at the strip of bare flesh showing where the shirt gapped open. She was completely naked beneath.

"Breakfast?" she asked with a smile, sweeping her hair out of her face as she crawled back into bed.

"Only the best for my girl," Ned told her, returning her smile. "How are you feeling?"

"Mmm. I've been better," she admitted. "But this looks like just the thing to perk me up. Yum."

Their house party had started with Bess and George. Josh, Maury, and Clark Faraday had been invited, and Howie and Mike had come out too. Part of Clark's entourage was staying in a gorgeous hotel nearby in Saint-Tropez, including a few groupies who were clearly there hoping to catch at least one eligible bachelor's attention, but Ned had been paying attention, too.

Bess Marvin was a sweet, pretty girl, and she was a flirt, but Ned hadn't needed Nancy to tell him that she had a crush on Louis. That had been obvious practically from their first meeting. They weren't awkward around each other now, though, and Ned was glad for that. He had thought they might make a good couple, but at least they had figured out it wouldn't work before a long emotionally-charged relationship had crashed and burned.

George's admiration of Fare had been obvious too, but Ned had felt a little sorry for her when he had seen it. Fare liked casual flings, and his status and charming smile meant he could bed two or three different girls every night if he so chose. George didn't strike Ned as that kind of girl, and Ned wondered if that's where the attraction was for Fare. When Ned had met Nancy, she hadn't exactly been playing hard to get so much as she had been completely naive and out of her depth with him. George wasn't quite so naive as Nancy had been, but she didn't wear her heart on her sleeve like her cousin did, either.

And it didn't hurt that, unlike many of the girls who acted like they were hanging on Fare's every word, George could actually talk stats and shots with him.

When the guys finally roused in time for lunch, they decided to head into town to restock liquor and beer supplies for the party, just to get a change of scene. The cleaning staff had arrived and they had a big job ahead of them, and Ned didn't want to be underfoot shouting at the game on the satellite television while they were trying to clear up the mess from the night before. Even though Bess had come out of her room looking fresh and pretty in full makeup, when Ned invited the girls, they said they wanted to lounge by the pool and get in a little girl time while the guys went into town.

Nancy gave him a shrug and an apologetic smile, pushing her sunglasses up onto her red-gold hair as she reached for his hand. "Try not to get into too much trouble without us?"

Ned chuckled. "I'm sorry, _I'm_ not the one who tracked down that thief a few days ago," he pointed out. Fare's friend Zhang had reported a very expensive watch stolen from his hotel room, and Nancy's eyes had immediately lit up with interest. George's assistance on the case hadn't been lost on Fare, either.

Nancy stood on her tiptoes and brushed a kiss against his cheek. She wore a white and green-striped bikini under a gauzy white cover-up, a wide-brimmed sunhat in her other hand, but that earnestness in her eyes, that straightforward sweetness—God, he had missed that. He tipped his head down and gave her a more thorough kiss, and her heart was in her eyes when he pulled back.

"I love you."

"And I love you," she replied immediately, her hand still in his. "I love you so much."

Watching her saunter out onto the patio before they left, a glass of Louis's lemon-orange soda in her hand, made Ned think of the night she had fucked him on the chaise and how incredibly hot it had been. He followed the other guys out to the car still thinking about it, and when he slid into the backseat of the hired car, Fare and Maury joined him.

Watching her masturbate had been insanely hot, and he had done as she had asked. When she was still trembling and weak-kneed, slumped against the shower wall trying to gasp her breath back, Ned had turned the water off, wrapped her in a towel and taken her to bed. Louis had texted Ned when he had arrived that morning to make breakfast, and Ned knew she was a little self-conscious about sleeping with him when Louis was in the same place, but they had done it before. Ned had accepted the challenge, to try to give her a more intense orgasm than the force of the water from the shower head had.

By the end of it, they had both needed another shower. They had been spent, wrapped around each other, slick with sweat and saliva. God, she had felt incredible, and he had been incredibly aroused from watching her pleasure herself. The shyness had just made it hotter; she had looked to him for encouragement, and he had been eager to give it. God, to wake up to her every morning...

"Earth to Ned," Fare said, and Ned blinked, turning to look at his friend. Fare grinned at him. "Boy, I would've thought you'd be sick of her by now..."

Ned smiled and shook his head. "Don't think that's possible."

Fare leaned back, draping his arm along the back of the seats. Maury had downed half a bottle of water already; he had perked up a little, but he was still looking the worse for wear.

"So I _thought_ I had George figured out," Fare began, turning his head to stare through the window, his sunglasses shading his eyes. "She's been flirting with me, talking to me a lot... and last night, after you and that girl who's well on her way to talking a diamond out of you headed upstairs to fuck like noisy rabbits, I'm thinking, hey, she's had a few beers, I've had a few beers..." Fare gave an expansive shrug. "I'm point-five seconds away from finding out whether she's rocking a lace thong or nothing at all when she just gives me a little smile and a kiss and says she'll see me in the morning."

Maury chortled. "Sounds like you're losing your touch," he put in, tipping back his bottle of water again.

Fare snorted. "Yeah, just rub it in, Becker," he shot back. "I saw you chatting Bess up. You tap that or what? Throw me a bone here; I'm dying. At least tell me someone other than perpetual-sunshine Nickerson got laid last night."

"Who says I got laid?"

"That hickey on your neck, for one," Fare shot back, then laughed when Ned actually touched his neck. Nancy hadn't given him one—but then, Fare had been teasing him anyway. "Plus the way all she has to do is flutter her eyelashes at you and you two are heading off for a 'nap.' It's enough to make me sick." Fare snorted. "Least she's not like your usual airhead, though. Gotta admit, it was pretty impressive when she found that watch."

"She's an impressive woman," Ned agreed. "Plus she'll be going back to school in August; we need to make sure we can get in as many 'naps' as possible."

Fare raised his eyebrows. "Is there a course at UC for managing household staff and walking in four-inch heels? Why is she still in school when it's obvious to anyone with eyes that as long as she doesn't get knocked up with a baby that clearly isn't yours, you two are going to be together for a long, long time, and she won't have to work a day in her life?"

Ned had known Fare long enough that he didn't rise to the bait. "The reason I love her so much is that she's the total opposite of that," Ned said calmly. "And that's the same reason you like George so much. She's different. Even Bess is different. They aren't bored and jaded yet."

"You say that like you think she never will be," Fare said, shaking his head. "Nickerson, I've _seen_ you with girls. Sure, maybe I'm catnip to the ladies," he wiggled his fingers, "but you aren't so bad yourself. Is that what it is? I get the feeling that Nancy wouldn't take too kindly to the kind of shit I walked in on you doing a few times back in the day, and you think George is like that too?"

"Probably," Ned said frankly. "If you just want to see how crazy things can get... well, I just wonder where it'll end. Three girls instead of two, freakier shit? I've been there; I know the stuff we've tried. That's not enough anymore. I want to settle down. And she... God, she's everything I never knew I was looking for. I don't wake up next to her disgusted with myself, or feeling guilty when I look at myself in the mirror. I wake up and she's there smiling at me, and not just so she can get dressed and come up with some excuse to leave before lunch—and neither am _I_ the one faking a phone call to get away from her. If you could just _see_ , everything..." He shook his head. "That's what they're looking for. Enough about Nan, though. Beck?" he asked, raising his eyebrows expectantly at Maury.

Maury had finished off his water and was turning the empty bottle around in his hands. "Well, Bess is pretty flippin' great," Maury said. "Gorgeous and sweet and so funny."

"And?" Fare prompted. "Didn't I see her go in your room last night?"

Ned let out a startled appreciative sound. "Good for you, Beck."

Maury nervously adjusted his glasses. "Well, I thought she was cute when we met last year," he said, then shrugged. "I don't know; I guess being out here, relaxing..."

"Mmm-hmm," Fare said meaningfully. "See if you can talk her into putting in a good word for me. Or you, Ned. Speaking of, when did you say you guys would be back stateside?"

"In a month, but Nancy's going home for her dad's birthday, and then we're going to be at my grandparents' house at the end of July. If you're asking when we'll be in New York or Chicago again—"

"Yeah. We could throw a little party or something..."

"Little," Ned repeated with a snicker. "Yeah, I'm sure 'little' is what you have in mind. Well, I'll pencil you in for early August, all right?"

Fare folded his arms. "Way to cockblock, Nickerson."

"Hey, grow a pair and ask the girl out," Ned replied. "You'll be on the same continent again before Nan and I are there to play chaperone. Why be shy all of the sudden?"

Fare shrugged. "I dunno. I just don't want to fuck it up, I guess."

A slow smile crossed Ned's face. "Oh, really."

"Shut up," Fare said, picking up the empty water bottle Maury had left on the seat beside him and tossing it directly at Ned's head. "God, you have that fucking smug 'I've found the secret of the universe' look. Makes me want to punch you in the mouth."

"Or you could ask George out, that'd sure show me," Ned commented mildly, then defended himself when Fare launched at him from the other seat.

The guys and Fare's entourage dispersed through the town, buying lunch and souvenirs. Ned went through a small gift shop and picked out an ornament for Nancy's collection, then a few more items for his family. He liked to give his parents unique gifts for the holidays and their birthdays, and his Grandma Chandler loved stationery. Then many of them ended up in a sports bar, and they took over the pool tables. Ned could almost predict when they would start buying rounds, and it was pretty much the second his headache faded to almost nothing.

They loaded the trunk of Ned's hired car with bottles of champagne and wine, mixers and chasers, and enough hard liquor to fuel a frat house for two days. When Maury slid into the back of Ned's car he was gazing down at his phone, and he looked up with a smile on his face.

Fare had rejoined Ned and Maury too, and he sighed when he saw Maury's delight. "I hate you," he told his friend.

Maury just kept smiling. "Why didn't you just call up that girl, Sammi? The one who's been all over you this whole trip?"

Fare shrugged. "I don't know. Guess I had a particular taste in my mouth."

Ned raised his eyebrows. "Look, not that you need it, but I'll talk to Nan and see if she can give me any tips. But, and I know this might be a little hard to wrap your brain around—maybe she isn't playing hard to get and just doesn't want to get with you."

Maury hooted in delight. "You really _are_ going to make the poor guy depressed."

Fare snorted, but Ned could read his face; all three of them had felt the same way. Their money and status had made them prime targets for women who craved the lifestyle and notoriety a relationship would give them. Fare had taken advantage of it, and Ned had too, just not quite as often. Maury had a stylist to dress him and he had more money than either Ned or Fare did, but he was also socially awkward and more than a little shy. He liked hanging out with Ned and Fare, and Josh and Mike and the rest of their group, mostly because he liked to observe, and Ned and Fare were decent wingmen.

Finding a woman willing to spend the night and hoping that night might lead to something more wasn't all that hard. It just wasn't the best way to find the kind of woman who wanted the same things they did. At least, it hadn't been for Ned. He knew he would never have met Nancy if her investigation hadn't brought her to him. And Maury would never have met Bess if Nancy hadn't been there to introduce them.

Maury needed a girl who could complement him, who filled in all the gaps. Bess was friendly and funny, and she had the curvy figure and fashion sense to move in the circles they traveled in. He was more sensitive, though, and he took it hard when girls broke things off with him, telling him they were too different. Usually that just meant they had landed a bigger fish.

Then again, Bess had been attracted to Louis, so Ned hoped Maury's money wasn't the only reason Bess had been with him the night before. Ned had wanted to find a woman who wasn't drawn to him by his wealth or privilege, and he thought Maury felt the same way.

"Maybe she just wants to be friends," Maury added, and Ned came out of his reverie.

"So you're saying she friend-zoned me?"

Ned chuckled. "Look... Nancy, when we met, you wouldn't _believe_ how slow she took things with me. As protective and suspicious as we can be, she was just as bad. And God, I wanted her. For the first time I had met a woman who didn't just want to be with me as soon as she found out how much money I had. God... when she told me that we couldn't be together, that it didn't make sense, that we were too different—I had never wanted to fight for _anything_ as much as I did, to be with her. I could have given her the world and it wouldn't have changed her mind.

"I think the trick is that if you find a girl who _needs_ the proof, who wants more than just what they see on the surface—God, it's terrifying. To let her in? To have to work for what any other girl would practically throw at you? It... I don't know, it makes it worth it."

Maury tilted his head. "So I should be suspicious that I didn't have to work as hard to get Bess to notice me?"

Ned shrugged. "I remember the night I brought the girls to meet you two for the first time," he said. "Us and Josh. You guys danced together that night, didn't you?"

Maury nodded. "She was really sweet," he said. "Really nice to me. I thought Nancy was a great girl too, but she only had eyes for you, and Bess was polite and funny..."

"But she had something going on with someone else," Ned said. "Back then, anyway."

"She must not be with that guy anymore."

"It didn't work out," Ned agreed. "She's free right now."

Maury relaxed against the seat. "That's good."

Fare nudged Maury. "All right, so if Nickerson's to be believed, sex with her must've been incredible, huh?"

Before Nancy, Ned had been happy, even eager, to discuss his exploits. When it had just been sex, the more outrageous the night, the better it had gone over. Ned had been disturbed to find that women weren't just going after him because he was rich, but because his reputation had become the draw. He was supposed to be both fantastic and inventive in bed, and that pressure had been more intense than Ned had thought it could be.

With Nancy, he had practically wiped the slate clean. Part of that had been taking the specifics of their sex life off the table when he talked to his friends. The guys had figured that if Ned didn't want to talk about it, it must be either incredible or awful, but Ned had made it clear that teasing her about it was off the table too, and they had respected that. She was already self-conscious enough without the thought of his friends both knowing about how inexperienced she had been and ribbing her about it.

He had loved it, though. He loved that he was her first lover, that he would be her only lover. As anxious as he had felt the nights he had taken her virginity, he didn't regret a moment of their time together.

Maury turned his hand over, palm up. "Well, I mean... God, she was good. Like, really good. Most of the time I... well, I just want to impress the girl, you know? I want her thinking I'm pretty amazing. But she didn't make me feel nervous, and when she laughed I didn't feel like she was laughing at me. It was fun. And she's so pretty."

Fare leaned back, groaning. "So I guess _I_ need to play hard-to-get now, huh. Show her what she's missing, make her jealous?"

Ned tried to imagine how that would have gone over with Nancy, early in their relationship. He had a feeling he would never have seen her again. She had already had so little confidence in herself and her past relationships that any competition might have made her walk away.

"Let me just talk to Nan, all right? Don't do anything crazy. Like that one time with naked Jenga—"

Fare groaned. "Yeah, I have no intention of going to the hospital again with a sprained dick, all right?"

By the time they returned, many of the other guests were hungry, recovering from their hangovers. The cleaning crew had made its way through the house, and Ned was glad to see it was all back in order; they would return the following day to clear up the detritus left by the farewell party and prepare the house to be closed for the season, if Ned wished.

Ned grabbed a bottle of lime-infused sparkling water and walked out onto the patio. He needed to pack—they were leaving in the morning, after all—but the view from the patio was incredible. From a certain angle, the pool seemed to be a close extension of the sea, at the edge of the horizon. Ned took a long slug from his water and sighed.

The girls were sprawled on lounge chairs at the edge of the pool, facing the sea, away from him. Nancy wore her wide-brimmed hat, and George was dressed in a sleek one-piece. Tall iced glasses were on the tables between them.

When Bess stretched her arms above her head, Ned thought that she had seen him, but she turned to Nancy and said, "So you really don't think it'll be tonight?"

George sighed. "C'mon, Bess," she said wearily. "Let Nan alone."

"But wouldn't it be perfect?" Bess sighed happily. "In this gorgeous place, during the party? Don't tell me you think it'll be while you guys are in India. It's just that everything Ned does is so fucking romantic that I'm sure his proposal will be amazing, too. On second thought, maybe it'll be good if I'm not around to see it; I'll eat my heart out with jealousy."

"You think Maury wouldn't be romantic?" George returned archly.

Nancy reached for her drink. Ned knew he should announce his presence, but when Bess had said the word "proposal," he hadn't been able to help it; he wanted to see what Nancy would say. "Much as I hate to disappoint you, Bess, I hope it's _not_ tonight," she said. "In front of all these people? All the pressure and people watching and... ugh." She shook her head. "I think he feels the same way I do about it. It's between us. Not anyone else."

Bess stuck out her tongue at Nancy. "Spoilsport. But aren't you _dying_ to get engaged? I mean, if you two have already been talking about getting married...?"

"Exactly," Nancy said. "I love him and he loves me, and we'll take that step when the time is right—but I still have my senior year to finish. Wearing an engagement ring won't change the way I feel about him, or the fact that I want to spend my life with him."

"Then doesn't that mean you practically already _are_ engaged?" George pointed out. "I mean, that's the first step, right? Swearing you'll be together forever?"

Ned took another sip of his drink, then made his footsteps audible as he approached them, and Nancy had just drawn a swift breath when she seemed to realize someone was near them. She turned to see Ned standing there, then brought herself to her feet with a smile.

"Hey sweetheart," she said, coming to him, and she was about to embrace him when she stopped suddenly. "I'm covered in sunscreen, or else I'd give you a hug."

"Hmm," Ned murmured. "Well, there's only one way to solve this..."

George and Bess had turned to look at the two of them. Ned stripped his t-shirt off, then grasped Nancy around the waist. She squealed as he picked her up and swung her to the edge of the pool.

"You might want to take your hat and glasses off," he told her with a wide, teasing grin.

She took her hat off and tossed it at her lounge chair, then took her glasses off and tossed them gently to Bess. They were a stylish pair he had bought her on their arrival, and she didn't want to scratch them.

"Ready?"

Nancy gave him a firm nod, her blue eyes sparkling. "Do your worst, Mr. Nickerson."

Instead of tossing her into the pool, Ned bent his head to hers and gave her a long, thorough kiss, one that left her clinging to his shoulders, her lips parted beneath his. From his swift glance he knew they were at a deep enough point, so he held her waist and stepped forward. She squirmed, tensing against him as they plunged into the water together, her warm skin slippery with sunscreen.

Before long Bess and George had joined them, although Bess just sat at the edge with her legs in the water, and then half the houseguests came out too, to splash and play in the water. Ned saw Maury sit down beside Bess and watched the way she looked at him, and the way he responded to her.

After lunch Nancy and Ned went upstairs to take a shower and start packing, and to rest a little before the farewell party. Nancy cleaned up and put on a tank top and a pair of thin cotton shorts; Ned noticed that she had done their laundry, and had left a stack of clean folded undershirts and boxers on his dresser.

He looped an arm around her waist and dropped a kiss on the crown of her head, her reddish-gold hair drying in loose waves down to her shoulders. "Thanks, babe," he told her. "You didn't have to do the laundry for me."

"Sure I did." She had an impish smile on her face when she looked up at him. "After all, you can't drive, you can barely boil water... leave you alone with a dryer and the house would be a smoldering ruin an hour later."

"Really, Drew?" Ned growled in mock outrage, tickling her ribs, and Nancy shrieked and squirmed, trying to get away from him as he wrestled her onto the bed. She gasped and twisted, bucking as he kept tickling her, until he felt her go limp in his arms.

Then she reached up and cupped his jaw. "Ned," she gasped out, still twisting her hips as he trailed his fingers ticklish-light against her side.

"Hmm?"

"Uncle," she gasped, then wrapped her legs around his waist and drew him down to her.

Ned obliged her with a long kiss, then another, and when she couldn't resist trying to tickle him, Ned squirmed his hips against hers. Being so close to her was already making him aroused, and before they went too far, Ned pulled back and brushed the tip of his nose against hers.

"So... I kind of promised I'd do Fare a favor," he murmured.

Nancy raised an eyebrow. A soft flush had risen in her cheeks, and her eyes were bright. "God, you're so beautiful," he murmured under his breath, without meaning to actually say it aloud.

She smiled. "You're not so bad yourself, handsome," she murmured, reaching up to run her fingers through his hair. "So what kind of favor?"

"He's interested in George but he's not sure if she's playing hard to get or if she just isn't interested in him."

"You mean because she didn't start stripping for him last night?" Nancy asked, and smiled to soften her tone.

"Something like that." Ned rolled off her and onto his side, fully aware that if they stayed in that kind of proximity, their conversation wouldn't last much longer.

Nancy sighed and folded her arms under her head, and Ned's gaze couldn't help gravitating to the movement of her breasts. She chuckled and shook her head. "She likes him but she's been hurt before," Nancy commented. "This is an entirely different environment for them—for George and Bess. The stakes are higher, if that makes any sense."

"The stakes?"

Nancy considered for a moment. "George is a little more practical than Bess," she said. "I'm sure you hadn't figured that out. But you and I are going to be together for a long time, and if she dates one of your friends and it turns bad..."

Ned nodded. "But Bess and Maury hooked up?"

Nancy raised her eyebrow again. "Whoever said guys don't like to gossip was just lying," she chuckled.

"It's not gossip," Ned defended himself. "It's news. It's a fact."

"It's gossip," she corrected him, reaching up to swipe her fingertip against the tip of his nose. Ned caught her hand and kissed the heel of her palm. "Well... mmm."

He kissed her wrist too, then her forearm. "Keep going," he murmured against her skin.

She rolled onto her side, looping her leg over him, but she didn't pull his body to hers. "Yeah, they hooked up last night."

"And?" Ned kissed the inner crease of her elbow.

"What are you asking, how many times or what positions or if he got her off?" Nancy's tone was teasing.

Ned looked up into her eyes. "More that... Maury's been hurt before too, I guess is what I'm trying to say."

The sharp, teasing expression faded into a softer smile. "Well, she does really like him," Nancy told him, cupping his cheek and moving so their faces were on level. "And I can't blame her. He's pretty damn adorable."

Ned kissed the tip of her nose. "You're just trying to make me jealous, aren't you," he murmured.

Her smile widened into a grin again. "Is it working?"

He rolled on top of her, taking her hand and lacing his fingers through hers. "Most definitely," he murmured, and kissed her more thoroughly. He loved the way she shivered and arched against him, how comfortable she was with him now. When his hips bucked once against hers, he felt her gasp and angle her hips in answer.

Then he broke the kiss, and Nancy ran her fingers through his hair. "What I said earlier," she whispered. "You overheard part of that, didn't you."

"By the pool?" When she nodded, Ned did too. "Yeah, some of it."

She gave him a small smile. "I'm sorry. I... I don't know what to say, I just wanted Bess to stop talking about it..."

Ned smiled. "Why?"

"Because it's between us," she murmured. She brushed her thumb against his lips. "It's ours and... I don't know. Bess doesn't mean anything by it, honestly. She just thinks about weddings and romance and finding a knight in shining armor all the time."

"And you don't?" Ned gave her a soft teasing smile.

She shook her head. "I don't, but I don't need to," she murmured. "Because I'm in love with you, and being with you is better than any stupid fairy tale."

"But when you said you didn't want it to be a huge public event, that was true."

She nodded. "But if that's what you want, Ned, that's fine with me—shit. I don't know what I'm saying. I'm sorry. Just ignore me, okay?"

He shook his head. "No, I'm very, deeply interested in what you're saying," he told her. "And if it makes you feel better, we can just say that _hypothetically_..."

"Hypothetically," she said, after pausing for a moment, "I hate the idea of being put on the spot in front of a lot of people. All the pressure and the audience... but also hypothetically, Ned, if you wanted that... well, I guess I'd want a little bit of warning. I'd hate to be totally surprised."

Ned raised an eyebrow. "I wasn't sure if it was possible to surprise you," he murmured. "When you see a mystery, I don't think you rest until you've untangled it."

She smiled. "And yet, somehow," she murmured, drawing him down to her again, "I'm still surprised by you."

Ned chuckled against their kiss. "Because you let yourself be," he whispered.

When he slipped his hand under her shirt, Nancy broke the kiss again. "Ned," she said warningly. "We need to get packed."

"We can get packed later," he murmured, kissing her again.

"Which means less time for having sex later," she said.

"Mmm. Okay, you win," he murmured, and gave her a smile.

The party began at sundown, and it was enormous, even louder and wilder and more crowded than the one the night before. A DJ with a laptop and a massive stereo system played on the patio, away from the grill area. The guests wore everything from cutoffs and bikinis to long casual gowns or short sequined gowns, beach attire or expensive Armani. Nancy wore a long jersey dress and sandals and the love token he had given her, and more than a few times Ned caught her talking to Bess and George. After that, when he saw George with Fare, he had to chuckle. Bess had really outdone herself, though, for the last night she and Maury would be spending together. She wore a form-fitting backless dress that emphasized her glamorous curves, her hair in a mass of long loose waves. She had even put on a small rhinestone tiara, and Ned overheard Maury calling her a princess more than once.

Nancy went through the party on Ned's arm, circulating with him a few times, greeting guests in French and English. Louis's desserts were a major hit, and eventually he began dividing the grilled meat into skewers that would be easier for party guests to eat one-handed. The liquor, champagne, and beer were plentiful, and Ned had a good buzz going rather quickly.

He knew that Nancy wore a bikini under her dress. He also knew that their early departure from the party the night before had been noticed, and they'd be ribbed about it even more if they left tonight's early.

But Nancy seemed to have no intention of leaving early, either. Despite his best efforts, they had finished their packing that afternoon. They would have plenty of time in India, and Ned was already half-planning for them to sleep the next day away, to get over their hangovers and any jet lag on the flight to Delhi. They would need the rest; Ned had arranged for them to take an extensive tour, and he couldn't remember the last time he had been so eager to go anywhere.

But he was sharing it with her. He was sharing an adventure with her.

He and Nancy danced together in front of the massive speakers, and were soon joined by a number of the guests; she had already downed a number of shots, and she danced with abandon, always smiling at him.

It was after midnight when Nancy found Ned in the party. He had walked through just to make sure everything was all right, but he was buzzed and everything seemed funny to him. He saw a few girls on the front patio and a guy offering to take them back to their hotel; he asked if they wanted him to call a cab for them, though, just in case. Both the girls looked a little worse for wear. He heard a few ecstatic moans from behind one of the lower floor's bedroom doors, and a game of strip poker seemed to be going on in the living room.

He was engrossed in spontaneous conversation with a few of Maury's friends when he felt a light brush against his hand, and turned to see his girlfriend. Nancy shot the other guys a wide delighted smile, then laced her fingers through Ned's. "Honey, can I show you something?"

"Mmm-hmm," Ned said with a happy smile, looking down at her. He could tell she was more than a little drunk, but he was pretty sure she hadn't overshot.

She pulled him out onto the back patio. A tall, deeply-tanned woman with a long curtain of hair had taken over bartending duties, and she was tilting a sweating shaker. Nancy swayed against Ned, chuckling.

"So Maury called Bess 'Princess Leia,'" Nancy whispered into Ned's ear. "That's good, right?"

Ned chuckled. "Very good," he replied. "And if she calls him 'Han,' all the better."

"Mmm. I'll let her know."

"You didn't know that?"

"It's been a long time since I've seen... what is it?"

" _Star Wars_ ," Ned said, laughing. "Oh my God. Okay, as soon as we get back to New York? We're watching it. On the home theater."

She wrinkled her nose at him. Then her brow cleared as she thought of something. "Hey. Isn't that—the gold bikini thing?"

"Yeah, the gold bikini thing," Ned said.

"I bet if we watched it and you," she looped her arm around his neck to draw him down to her, " _ate me out_ , I'd definitely pay attention."

Ned tightened his grip around her waist. "I doubt that," he growled.

"You mean it'd be better if I went down on you?" Her eyes were sparkling.

"You're just _trying_ to get me to throw you over my shoulder and carry you upstairs," he accused her.

She shook her head, making her eyes wide and innocent. "No, not at all, baby," she said sweetly. "What I'm _trying_ to get you to do, though..." She seemed to lose her train of thought for a moment. "The water. I want to go down to the water, where we can be alone."

Ned stopped long enough to let the small security force he had engaged for the night know he would be off-site for a little while, just in case anything happened. Then he and Nancy waited for an opportune moment, and began to sneak down to the shore. Ned was hopeful that they hadn't been observed, but he didn't really believe they would be alone all that long.

He didn't need long, though.

"Are you okay, sweetheart?"

Nancy nodded and swept her hair out of her face; it hung loose, in shining red-gold strands, silvered by moonlight. "I'm okay," she said softly. "I just can't believe we're about to leave, and the water was cool last time we were down here and I just wanted to feel it again... shit, we should have grabbed towels."

Ned smiled. "I think we'll be okay, Nan. And if you get cold, just tell me and I'll warm you right back up..."

He leaned down and nuzzled against her neck, and Nancy giggled, tugging at his hand. "Come on!" she stage-whispered. "Before they find us!"

Her swimsuit was black and embellished, but the beach was dark and he only caught a glimpse of it. She put her dress, heels, and the token in a small pile together, and Ned's clothes joined hers; they hid them in the shadow of a large rock, where they could keep an eye on them.

Then Nancy waded out into the water, hissing a little at the cool, until it was deep enough for her to slip beneath. Ned's buzz was still pleasantly fuzzy in his head, but the water had sobered him up a little. With Nancy, he had learned that letting his guard down in public could be dangerous.

She turned onto her back and they floated together, hands joined, looking up at the stars. The sky seemed fathomless and infinite, and in this state of mind, in this exact level of inebriation, he felt like he was floating in it, with her, just the two of them.

It was frightening. It was thrilling, too.

Ned had a feeling, though, that he was starting to figure it out. He had considered many, many ways, many scenarios, places, ideas. He thought he was close.

Before her, he had never so deeply _needed_ it to be perfect. On some level, it was as though he had been through so much before he had met her so that he would know what didn't work, so things would be easier with her. But being with her, especially on this trip—everything was new, as though he had never experienced it before.

He supposed that in a way he hadn't. Everything was new with her. Everything was fresh and exciting with her.

They floated together, hands still joined, rising and falling with the waves. Her forearm was pressed to his, and he could feel her pulse.

He wanted to strip her naked. He wanted to pull her bikini off and take her to the edge of the shore, to feel the waves crash over them as he made love to her. He wanted to taste the moonlight in her skin, to feel her arch and tense under him.

Instead, as she had apparently known they would, some of the other guests from the party made their way down to the shore. One of the security guards came with them, just to make sure no incapacitated person sank beneath the waves. A few of them had pool inflatables, and many of them carried drinks.

Ned was on that strange cusp between sobriety and inebriation, and he and Nancy picked up their clothes, smiled at the guests, and made their way back to the house. They saw Bess and Maury on the way, and Nancy and Bess exchanged a small wave Ned almost wanted to see as flirting; Fare was guiding George out to the water too, her dark eyes dancing with glee.

The ground floor of the house was still moderately crowded with people, but the security guard at the foot of the stairs was making sure no one went up to the master suite. Nancy was clad only in her soaked swimsuit, her hair in damp loose waves, and he saw a few appreciative glances on her, but he hurried her upstairs before anyone said anything.

Then they were alone, and Ned touched the back of her bikini top, waiting for her to turn to him and nod before he took it off her.

No one could see them when they were on the upper balcony, and they walked out onto it naked. She clasped his hand in hers, just as tight as she had when they had been floating together on the water. When she looked up into his eyes, he saw something quiet and fathomless, deep and fragile and perfect there.

He was her first love, her first true love, and she loved him without holding anything back. She loved him with the sweet innocence of a person who had never had her heart broken, had never given away a piece of herself and found it was lost forever.

And while he had loved before, he had never felt for anyone else the way he felt for her. Nothing else seemed to matter when she was with him, and when they were apart, he found himself counting the minutes until they would be together again.

They sank together onto a lounge chair on the balcony, wrapped around each other, kissing fiercely. She relaxed marginally once they were seated. From the balcony they could see out onto the water, but they hadn't turned any lights on upstairs, and Ned was almost positive no one could even tell they were on the balcony at all.

Nancy wrapped her legs around him, gazing into his eyes as she ran her fingers through his hair. "I love you," she whispered, and her face lit up with such a smile that it took his breath away. "You've made me so happy, Ned."

He smiled at her. "You've made everything new again," he told her softly. "You've made me the happiest man in the world."

And she had. Just as she had told him, if they decided this was all they would be to each other, for as long as it was forever, he would be happy. In all other ways, he had sworn her his life, his fidelity, his love and his support. Nothing could be greater than that.

Save one thing, he thought.

"I love you so much, Nancy."

He moved with her, so that she could mount him, but then she tilted herself back and propped up her weight on her straightened arms. The moonlight brushed her breasts, the hollow of her collarbone, the line of her neck in pale cold silver, and her lips parted as he shifted his angle and moved within her.

And she was slick tight heat around him, a low quiet moan coming out of her as he pulled back for another thrust. Her knees were bent and she was tight to him; when he grasped her ass and lifted her, she raised her head, gazing at him questioningly. Still, she went along with it, propping herself up.

Ned stood on his knees, letting out a soft groan as he drove his full length between her legs, holding her hips in place. She trembled, letting her head fall back. "Oh," she whimpered.

"Mmm," Ned groaned. "Baby, can you flip over?"

She did, and Ned moaned in pleasure at seeing her on all fours, turning to glance at him from over her shoulder. She parted her knees and Ned moved behind her, angling himself so he could enter her before he moved forward.

"Oh," she moaned, hanging her head, and she shuddered when he roughly fondled her still-damp breast. "Oh _God_."

"Yeah," he growled. "God, you feel so good."

He thrust into her a few more times before he slipped his hand down to the join of her thighs and began to rub her clit, and she gasped loudly, then began to whimper in pleasure. He couldn't help it; he fondled her more roughly, and when she sobbed, arousal tightened in his groin.

"You like that, baby?"

"Yes," she sobbed, her voice breaking. "Oh God, _yes_..."

The lounge chair creaked ominously under them. With a muttered curse, Ned wrapped his arms around her and picked her up, carrying her over to the half-wall that extended around the balcony. She propped up her weight on her forearms, and to keep her hips at the right height she stood on her tiptoes; Ned fondled her clit again and she sobbed, tightening against his cock as he thrust into her.

"Here," he panted, hooking an arm around her, and she buried her face against his biceps, muffling her cry against his skin. Fucking her from behind like this, while he was on his feet and she could practically only use the wall as leverage, made his thrusts harder and more rapid, and she quivered with every one. The hand he had splayed against her crotch as he fondled her clit with rough swipes of his thumb was pressing against her too, and she rotated her hips, gasping and sobbing as she responded to his thrusts.

God, she felt so good. She felt incredible, sweet and tight around him, and the cries she muffled against his skin only made it hotter.

Then she tipped her head back, and his arm slipped up so her neck was in the crook of his elbow and she was tight against him. "Ned," she whimpered. "Oh God..."

"Good, Nan?"

"So... _fuck,_ oh yes..."

Then she leaned forward, stretching out so her torso was parallel to the floor, supporting her weight with her forearms, wrapping her legs around his hips. She released long, low groans of pleasure as he rutted against her, still fondling her clit. He could dimly see her breasts bouncing in the moonlight with his every thrust, and when she became breathless, her cries going higher, he worked faster in her.

" _Ned_... oh, oh _fuck_ ," she sobbed, and he felt her clench tight around him. He slapped her ass when she bucked against him, and she tightened around him again. "Oh _God!_ "

God. He wanted so badly to hold out, but a shudder went down his spine and hips as he reached his orgasm with her. She gripped the edge of the balcony with both hands and let her weight hang from her hands and her grip about his waist as he continued fondling her clit, and when she pulled herself up and arched with a gasping cry, he gently began to let her down.

They slumped together on the floor of the balcony, her legs wrapped around his hips, her bare breasts against his chest. She clung to him, her face against his neck, and he stroked her back. He didn't feel like he could move, not yet.

He shifted so his back was against the side of the balcony, looking up at the stars, still trying to pant his breath back. God, he wanted it all with her, wanted to feel and experience it all with her, and this summer was only the beginning.

Her heart had just begun to slow when she murmured his name. "Mmm. Now we're going to need a shower," she sighed.

"One shower?"

She chuckled. "Definitely one shower."

He couldn't resist. He tilted his head down, whispering into her ear, "And we really should make sure no sea water got anywhere it shouldn't be."

"I thought that's what we were just doing," she laughed. "Or is your cock not a seawater detector?"

In retaliation he began to tickle her, and she squirmed and giggled and skittered away from him, pushing herself to her feet so she could run inside. Ned followed her, hastily pulling the balcony door closed behind him, and caught her about the waist, lightly tossing her onto their bed. Immediately she rolled onto her back, opening her legs to him, her eyes gleaming in the darkness and still sparkling from her laughter. Her grin softened into a smile. The pale lengths of her thighs were still glistening slightly.

She was his; she loved him with every bit of herself, all of her heart. But he had always, always been hers.

"Come to me," she whispered, reaching for him, and he had no choice, no desire but to obey.


	2. Chapter 2

Ned took a deep breath, looking around. For the first time that day he was entirely at rest; there was nothing left to do but worry and anticipate.

He had done most of that the night before, though.

The second half of his summer trip with Nancy had been incredible. They had explored the Himalayas, Nepal and Tibet together, and a little bit of India; they had both loved the trip, and resolved to come back and explore more of it together when next they could. They had gone hiking and kayaking together; they had visited remote temples and skied and witnessed some of the most beautiful sunsets. One night they had been caught in a city square during a sudden downpour, and they had threaded their fingers together and dashed back to their hotel, laughing the whole way. That memory made him smile; when they had reached their room, they had stripped off their soaked clothes and made love by firelight, her rain-darkened hair lightening to reddish-gold, her eyes dancing as they met his.

They had stayed in the most expensive hotels, well-insulated tents, guest rooms, cabins; he had taken her dancing, they had ordered food blindly without having the slightest idea what would arrive when the waiter returned, and he had opened his eyes at the sunrise just to see her sleeping in his arms.

He adored her; he practically worshiped her. He had found joy with her, and he believed that she was as happy with him. He would have buried her in jewels and treasures if that's what she had wanted. His love for her felt boundless, endless.

More and more often he had felt it on his lips. When he touched her, when he kissed her, when he held her, when he gasped his breath back in the afterglow of their lovemaking; when they were alone together, sharing the awe of a perfect sunset or a beautiful landscape. But he wanted it to be perfect. He wanted everything to be exactly right. He didn't want to hear any doubt or hesitation in her voice when she answered him.

There was only so much he could do, but he could do this.

She had returned to Illinois after their trip, to spend some time with her father and celebrate his birthday. Ned knew that Nancy's father would likely resent any intrusion on that time with him, and so he stayed in New York, visiting his own family one weekend, making sure that Eve and his other assistants had kept everything in order during his absence. He had caught up on his correspondence, and even with Fare and Josh and Maury. His grandparents had announced that they wanted to have a large family gathering in early August, before all the children were in school and it was too difficult to organize and while the weather was still good, and Nancy had been invited. She had accepted immediately.

His family loved her, and had jokingly told Ned that he wasn't welcome without his pretty girlfriend. His cousins were looking forward to meeting her, too.

Despite what Ned knew in his heart to be true, that Nancy loved him just as much as he loved her, he had still worried for a while. If she had changed her mind, or if he had misunderstood somehow; if she was willing to consider marriage but didn't want to be engaged during her senior year of college; if the difference in their ages made her hesitant, if committing to him with all her heart did.

Soon it would all be done, though, and he would be on the other side of it. Her answer would be in the past, and his anxiety would be over.

He tried to prepare himself for all possibilities, just as he always did. If she said she wanted to wait to give him her answer, he could accept that. If she said she wasn't ready yet, that meant that she anticipated she would be ready.

If she said no...

Well, he couldn't prepare himself for that; the thought hurt too much. Even if she did say no, as long as she still agreed to remain committed to him, he supposed it wouldn't be the end of the world.

He wanted her for the rest of his life, and she wanted the same, or at least she had said she did. He would be content to give her that. He would happily give her that vow, as long as she would do the same for him.

In preparation for the day, Ned had been working since before they had departed on their trip. Now it was all finished, checked and double-checked and triple-checked. Contingency plans were in place. All reports for the entire day had been positive. She was on her way to him. She appeared happy.

Ned was exhilarated.

A car had pulled up in front of the Drew home precisely on schedule as Ned had planned, earlier that day, and the driver had handed Nancy the first clue when she had responded to his knock. His instructions were to take her to the airport; it was up to Nancy to figure out where she was to go from there, based on the clue she found in the envelope.

Sensing that she would find it more impressive, Ned had put the codes together himself, using ones that weren't common but weren't too terribly esoteric. He wanted her entertained, not frustrated. Once she had landed in Maine, he had provided for a meal for her, and another clue.

The trail of clues led her to the ferry, and he waited at the other side.

He had considered many scenarios, many locations, but it had been difficult. His apartments in New York or California, the yacht, the house in France? She had already been to each of them, and while he had perfect control over those settings, he still wanted something more special for her. Jetting to another country was appealing, but they had just spent two months abroad, and it would take more time they could be spending together.

And if he had learned anything about her, over the course of their relationship, he had learned that grand ostentatious displays weren't guaranteed to impress her or even charm her, and she appreciated a small loving gesture even more. Pulling out her chair for her at the dinner table, stroking her cheek with the backs of his fingers, a single red rose when he would have bought her an entire greenhouse of roses without a second thought. A unique and thoughtful gift meant more to her than the largest diamond in the world would.

Even so, when he had discussed the ring with a very in-demand jewelry designer in New York, he had been persuaded to buy a flawless two-carat marquise-cut white diamond, set with pear-shaped sapphires and diamonds on each side, with a white-gold band. It had been ready before he had returned to New York, and he had been able to see pictures of it via email during their trip; after he had seen it, he had been convinced that Nancy would somehow be able to sense its existence, that she would find the photos, that she would _know_...

The photographs were beautiful, but in person, the ring was stunning. He knew it wasn't a demure or commonplace ring, but he felt that was appropriate. The ring was a tangible, physical representation of his love for her, and the vows they had made to each other. He had known her long enough to know that she wouldn't just avariciously ask for a catalogue of the ring's statistics, but if that were important to her—as it doubtless was to the other women who traveled in his circles—she wouldn't be disappointed.

It would be a commitment ring, if she so chose. It would be an engagement ring, if she so chose. But they both knew that if she wore it, especially to the family gathering that would be taking place soon, the assumption would be the latter.

Ned fought the urge to check his watch, looking around at the scenery. If he could have bought a perfect day for this, he wouldn't have been more satisfied. The clouds were just shredded strands of cotton floating high above in a sweetly azure sky, and the late-July weather was warm, but not hot. If he had arranged for this trip in late September or October, the leaves would be a riot of reds, oranges, and yellows, but he hadn't wanted to wait that long.

He knew the ferry schedule by heart, and when it was only a vague shape in the distance he was already on his feet, his heart beating faster. He looked down at his small pack, his hiking boots and jeans, his shirt; he felt for the ring in his pocket, and sighed silently when he found it there, just as it had been the past five times he had checked.

The ferry was small and traveled at what seemed to be an infinitely slow pace across the water, slowing down even more as it approached the shore. Ned walked onto the dock as soon as he spied a lock of long reddish-gold hair fluttering in the breeze, and Nancy was the first one off the ferry once the crew opened the door.

"Hey beautiful."

She smiled, and Ned's heart rose. "Hey honey," she said, launching herself into his arms. Ned held her tight for a moment, then walked with her to the shore, their fingers interlaced. He had left a package for her along the way with appropriate hiking clothes, and she had changed into them as his coded message had asked.

"Today certainly has been a nice surprise."

He smiled and squeezed her hand. "Glad you enjoyed it."

She leaned forward, peering up into his face and smiling. "No more codes?"

He shook his head. "No more codes. You're near the end of your adventure, sweetheart. I've missed you."

"I've missed you too," she said, tugging on his hand, and when he turned to her she stood on her tiptoes and drew him down to her. He obliged her with a kiss, but since they weren't out of sight of the ferry yet, he limited it to a moment. She ran her fingers through his hair, smiling at him when he pulled back.

"So you said your dad's birthday was good?"

She nodded, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear as he led the way toward a hiking trail. "It was really nice. We went to a restaurant in Chicago, and his partners and administrative assistant came too, and the next day Hannah made his favorite meal at home. So, of course, I was stuffed." She smiled.

"I was glad he liked what I sent. I didn't want to intrude..."

Nancy squeezed his hand. "You wouldn't have been," she told him. "I know you had some business you needed to attend to, but if you wanted to come next year, it would mean a lot to me. I'm sure he would appreciate it, too."

Ned turned to smile at her. "If it means that much to you, then I definitely will," he said, squeezing her hand too. "Now, before we get too far, is a little hike okay?"

"A little hike," she agreed. "As long as it doesn't turn into that day we spent eight hours on that mountain..."

Ned chuckled. "We should've known, when he said 'This is only my second time making this trip...'"

"Mmm-hmm," Nancy agreed. "Ned, seriously. Thanks for arranging today for me. If I couldn't spend it with you, solving a mystery was a nice second choice."

Ned smiled. "Well, I would have been there with you, to pick you up, but I had a few last things to arrange," he told her.

"For today?"

He nodded, his heart skipping a beat. He could hear the slight quivering in her voice, the way her adrenaline had risen too. Of course she had to suspect something.

But she had told him she didn't want to be surprised.

Their conversation turned to lighter topics, to their immediate plans. She had come to see him and had packed to stay through the Nickerson family gathering, and then they would be returning to Illinois together for the beginning of the semester. Ned was already organizing the party he had quasi-promised Fare. Nancy had caught up with her friends while she was back in River Heights, and told him that Maury had been out to see Bess twice while they had been in the Himalayas. Fare had apparently, ultra-casually, asked if George was going to be at Ned's party.

Considering the number of people who would probably be there, Ned was considering venues other than his sure-to-be-trashed apartment.

The timetable Ned had worked out was down to the minute, and since Nancy had arrived comfortably ahead of schedule, they were able to take the hike at an easy pace. They stopped to look at the falls, and Nancy stopped and posed them for a few snapshots with her phone. The landscape provided a fantastic backdrop, and when he looked into her smile, he saw genuine happiness there.

Ned had left their picnic dinner at the top of the hill, along with a large umbrella in case of inclement weather, and small fans in case the heat was too much. Nancy stood for a moment once they reached the clearing at the top, and took a deep breath, letting it out in a happy sigh.

"The air just feels so crisp and clean, doesn't it?" She sighed again. "And look. I bet the sunset is going to be beautiful from here."

"It will have a lot of other sunsets to compete with," Ned said with a smile. "Feeling hungry yet?"

"If Louis made anything in that basket," Nancy said, nodding toward the cooler and oversized wicker basket, "then the answer is a definite _yes_."

Ned had gone over the menu with Louis several times. The basket and cooler contained apple bacon coleslaw and potato salad, turkey and gruyere croissants with bacon and homemade dijon mayonnaise, chicken salad and spinach pitas, cranberry lemonade and a bottle of champagne to drink with dessert, and peach cake and pecan pie brownies. All of it was relatively light and delicious, and they could take any leftovers with them for a midnight snack.

Ned spread one of his grandmother's quilts on a level patch of soft grass and together they began to unpack their meal. The quilt had been made by his grandmother's mother, and when she had given it to him, Ned had told her that he wouldn't use it. It was an heirloom, one he would hate to see damaged.

She had told him that he was being foolish, that it was a quilt and was meant to be used, and anyway, any tear or damage could be repaired. Ned had brought it with him today, hoping it would be something like a good luck charm.

"Oh, Ned... is this a real quilt?"

He understood what she meant, and nodded. "My great-grandmother made it. But it's all right. Like my grandmother told me, it's a quilt, not a silk comforter."

They put together their plates, and Ned watched the sky begin to darken almost imperceptibly as they ate their dinner. Louis had almost rolled his eyes at how simple the menu was, but it was perfect for what Ned had planned. Nothing too fussy or outrageous. Nothing like a five-chocolate sundae with gold flakes, or whole roasted branzino. And Nancy enjoyed every bite of it.

He left the champagne in the cooler, and when Nancy collapsed to the quilt with a sigh, her palm over her belly, he couldn't help chuckling. "I couldn't eat another _bite_ ," she groaned. "Oh, that was amazing. Definitely just as satisfying as any of the picnic lunches Hannah ever packed for me."

"You had time for picnics?" Ned grinned. "Really? When, once when you were eleven?"

She wrinkled her nose at him, looking for something to throw, and settled on a balled-up napkin. Ned put his cleared plate to the side and spread out beside her, and she moved to rest her head on his shoulder. They both looked up into the slowly darkening sky.

He wrapped his arm around her, and she released a soft happy sigh. "Ned," she whispered, after a moment.

"Hmm?"

"You know how sometimes, you have a perfect moment, where you're so happy you could almost burst with it..."

"I may have had one or two of those," he said, a smile in his voice. He kissed her forehead.

"I feel that way every time I'm with you," she said. "But especially right now. I was happy to be home, but I missed you so much. A few times I just wanted to go to your apartment and curl up in your bed, to smell your shampoo on the other pillow..."

Ned smiled again. "I missed you too, honey," he murmured. "Every morning when I woke up, every night when I tried to sleep, and every minute in between. Being able to spend two whole months with you was like a dream come true."

"Yeah," she whispered. "It was. I loved being with you every day and every night."

"Me too." Ned knew his heart was beating faster, and he thought she could probably feel it too. "If you want, Nancy... we could keep doing that."

She paused for a moment, and he heard a smile in her voice when she spoke next. "At the end of the semester, I was practically living at your apartment with you whenever you were in town," she chuckled.

Ned realized something he hadn't quite put into words yet, when she said that. He squeezed her shoulder, then pushed himself up so he could sit up.

"That's true," he said, looking down at her. "And I loved it. Can I talk to you, honey?"

Nancy gazed up at him for a second, then pushed herself up too. When she did, she looked at the sunset in front of them, and gasped.

As dusk had approached, the lights had been triggered. He had carefully arranged a scattering of flameless luminaries in the grass around the picnic site, and the effect was ethereal. The sunset was beautiful; the dark and hot pink, vivid orange and bright red were reflected in the water beneath.

It was what he had been waiting for.

She turned back to him, her eyes bright. "It's beautiful," she whispered. "Oh God. Ned, it's perfect."

He smiled. "I wanted today to be perfect," he told her, reaching up to gently trace the line of her jaw. "I was so afraid something would go wrong, but you're here with me, and it's going to be all right, I know it is."

She nodded, resting her hand on his knee as she gazed at him, and then he took it in his own.

"Nancy... I love you. I love you with all my heart and all my strength; I always will. The past year has felt like five minutes to me. I can't have enough time with you. I never will. You're incredible, honey, and everything I learn about you just makes me love you more. You're strong and beautiful and intelligent, and you've had my heart for a long time.

"And, tonight..." He took a deep breath. "I want to ask you this, and I want you to know that no matter what you say, I love you now and I will love you forever. I want you to be happy, sweetheart. I want that more than anything.

"The only thing that could possibly make me happier than I am right now is if you would spend the rest of your life with me. I'm devoted to you, Nan, and I want to make it official, as official as you want it to be."

He saw that her eyes were shining; he saw her throat clench as she swallowed. Her hand was faintly damp against his.

"And if you want just that commitment between us, I'll be okay with that. I think that maybe we should consider moving in together, during your senior year. Like you said, you spend a lot of time at my apartment anyway, and I already consider it yours too.

"I know your father might object, but you're an adult now, and that choice is yours to make. If you wouldn't be comfortable with that yet, it's okay... but I'd love to see you beside me every morning and every night, Nancy. I'm ready for us to start our life together.

"As your lover, or..."

He reached into his pocket, pulling out the ring.

"Or as your husband."

Nancy looked down at the ring as he offered it to her. She brought her hand to her mouth, covering it as she gasped, and her eyes were shimmering as she glanced from the ring into his face.

"Please," he said softly. "Please make me the happiest man in this world, and say that you'll let me spend the rest of my life by your side."

A pair of tears had streaked down her cheeks, and she sniffled. "Ned," she whispered. "Oh my God..."

He couldn't believe how fast his heart was beating, how incredibly nervous he felt. She reached out and took the ring from his hand, then looked into his face again.

"Ned," she whispered. "It's beautiful."

He gave her a small smile. "Will you wear it?" he asked softly.

She swallowed hard again, then sniffled. "Yes," she whispered, and slipped it onto her finger. He was relieved when he saw that it moved easily, but it wasn't loose.

Then she looked into his eyes again. "Yes," she said, her voice a little stronger. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Ned. I want to..." She sniffled again. "I want to m-marry you..."

Ned wrapped his arms around her, embracing her tightly, and he heard her laughing through her tears as she hugged him back. "I want to wake up with you every morning and sleep beside you every night," she said, her voice bright with happiness. "Oh, Ned..."

"Oh my God," he whispered. "Nancy, sweetheart..."

He threaded his fingers through her hair and moved to kiss her just as she moved to kiss him, and her lips were sweet against his.

He couldn't believe it. She had agreed to marry him. She had said yes.

Her cheek was wet against his; he broke the kiss and stroked her tears away, gazing into her bright eyes. He could feel it. It happened sometimes, the realization that he was in one of the most important moments of his life. He had felt it the day he had made his first major investment; he had felt it the day he had signed the papers to make sure his grandparents would never lose their home. He had felt it the day Nancy had walked into his life; he had felt it when he had signed the lease papers on the Chicago apartment, when he had decided that he would give their relationship a true, thorough chance.

He had felt it when they had spent her spring break together and she had asked him to take her virginity, and the night of her twenty-first birthday party.

He felt it now.

"You mean everything to me," he whispered. "I can't believe you said yes. I just can't believe it..."

She smiled at him. "You say that it would make you the happiest man in the world, but just to know that you want to be my husband... oh, there is no way I could possibly be happier, and I mean that. I love you so much."

"You'll be my wife," he whispered.

She nodded. "Yes," she whispered.

Their lips met in another long, sweet kiss, one he was reluctant to break. "I brought champagne," he told her, and he couldn't help smiling. "But maybe we should drink it once we're inside..."

"It is starting to get a little dark," she agreed, but then she leaned forward and kissed him again, and he held her tight.

Then, with a little sigh, she pulled back. "Before it gets too dark... do you mind if I do something?"

"I'm intrigued," he told her with a grin.

She swatted at him, a smile curving her lips, and then she pulled out her cell phone. She took a shot of them with the darkening sunset behind them, and then a photo of the luminaries in the grass around them, and then she had Ned hold the phone as she held her hand up between them, her palm toward her, so that the ring sparkled on her finger. She had a wide grin on her face.

"About to post them so Bess will call you screaming?"

Nancy shook her head. "I just wanted another way to remember tonight," she said, a small smile on her face. "I know it's cheesy..."

He shook his head. "I understand," he said, and touched her cheek again. "And soon everyone will know that you're my fiancée. I tried to do what you asked..."

She cupped his face in her hands. "It was perfect," she told him, her voice low and sincere. "It was everything I would ever have wanted it to be. It was _us_. Just us. I just hate being the center of attention..."

"I know you do," he told her, searching her eyes. "And I'll try to limit that as much as I can..."

"Oh!" Nancy shook her head. "No. It's okay. I understand. I know sometimes we'll be together and... that's not what I mean. I'm so proud of you, Ned. I want to be there for you whenever I can. And you know that I'd happily wear anything you want... because I'm there for _you_ , no one else. It doesn't matter how many people are around us... oh, I'm just rambling, aren't I."

He smiled. "It's all right, Nan. I think I understand."

She gave him a rueful smile. "I just... when we made this decision, I wanted it to be just _us_ ," she said. "There are public moments, and there are private ones, and I've always thought this should be one of the latter."

"And our wedding?"

She stroked her thumbs over his cheeks. "I think our families would be deeply disappointed if they were left out, and I think you have a lot of people to invite," she said. "And I don't begrudge that. But the words that are just between us, the ones we've just spoken... those are ours. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Ned Nickerson. I want to be with you forever. You are the only man I have ever loved, the only man I will ever love, and you make me so happy."

Ned leaned forward, touching his forehead to hers. "And you think you can keep it like a secret," he whispered, "when every time I look into your face, I see it. You're the light of my life, Nan. And you will never know how grateful I am that you feel the same way, because I would be heartbroken and miserable without you. I promise you that I will guard your heart with mine, with all of me. I'll do everything I can to make you happy..."

She brushed her thumb against his lips, very gently. "But, love," she whispered, "you already have."

When they broke their next long kiss, the stars were beginning to come out. Ned sighed as he reached for his phone.

"I'm not at all eager to hike in the dark, but I don't think you have a tent up here," Nancy commented. Then she tilted her head. "And you've already thought of that, haven't you."

He smiled. "Maybe."

Ned had thought of that. He had thought of everything. Luminaries marked the trail they would take back down, and he had high-powered flashlights too. An assistant replied to Ned's message and appeared to transport the leftover picnic food and cooler.

The trip to the island wasn't long, but Ned was still buzzing on adrenaline, and he couldn't wait to be alone with his girlfriend, his future wife. Once the assistants delivered both them and the food to the private home on the island, they left in one boat, leaving Nancy and Ned the other.

When Nancy walked into the house, she shook her head. "This isn't yours, is it?"

Ned shook his head. "No. I borrowed it. Nice, though, isn't it?"

Nancy nodded, still marveling at it. The house was on its own private island, surrounded by trees but in its own clearing, with easy access to the shorelines. It was small, thanks to local building codes, and the designer had worked to optimize both the small footprint and the views. The east side of the house was mostly glass to let in and trap the morning light and heat; the floor plan was open, with double guest beds lofted over storage space. Only the master suite was separated visually from the rest of the house, by floor-to-ceiling shelving holding an entertainment system and eco-friendly fireplace on one side, and hundreds of books on the other.

"It's incredible."

Ned smiled. "I thought about taking a suite on the mainland, but this seemed more romantic," he told her. "Our own little island for the night. Just you, me, ingredients for a really great leftover brunch tomorrow morning, and a bottle of champagne."

Nancy took a few steps forward, her chin tipped up, her left hand rising at her side; she glanced down at it, looking at the ring he had given her, and she let out a sound that began as almost a hum, and built into a loud gleeful cry. She danced around the room a few steps, then swung back toward him, her eyes bright. She grabbed his hand and Ned couldn't help laughing with her.

"It's _real_ ," she laughed. "Oh, Ned, it's real, isn't it? I can hardly believe it."

"I can hardly believe it either," he said.

"Ned, it's... the ring is beautiful." She looked up at him, into his eyes, and he could see what she was thinking, what she wouldn't say. The ring had been too expensive; it was too much, she would have been happier with a smaller ring...

"Are you sure? If there's anything about it you don't like, we can take it back and have it redone again. We can make it exactly the way you want it..."

She reached up and cupped his face, drawing him down to her. "It's perfect," she told him. "It _is_ beautiful. And I love it because you made it for me. I mean that." She smiled at him.

He kissed her lightly. "If you're sure..."

"I'm positive," she whispered against his lips. "I feel so happy that I must be dreaming; this can't be real..."

He reached down and lifted her up, until their faces were level. "For the rest of our lives," he told her, and grinned. "I didn't know it was possible to feel this way, not before you. Joy so bright it's almost painful."

She ran her fingers through his hair. "To know that you'll be my home," she whispered, and closed her eyes. "Officially, now. Even though you've felt that way almost since we've met. Oh my God... Ned, I never knew it would be like this, that it would feel like this. I'd convinced myself I could live without this..."

Ned smiled. He understood. "I love you so much," he said softly. "I'd lay the world at your feet, if you asked for it."

"And all I want is you," she replied. "All I want, all I need is you. And all I can give you is all that I have."

He kissed her softly, sweetly, and all thought of champagne was forgotten. He kissed her again, again.

"Bed?" he whispered against her lips.

"Please," she whispered in reply, and giggled when he began to carry her in that direction.

Although he wanted to just tackle her down into it and rip her clothes off, he excused himself and went to the other bathroom, leaving her with the master so she could freshen up if she wanted. Her suitcase had arrived with her, and one of the rarely-seen-and-never-heard assistants had brought it to the island house for her.

Part of Ned's preparations of everything had been temporarily setting up the island house for them, and so he had brought the shampoo and conditioner and soap he knew she liked; he had asked that a set of new Italian sheets be put on the bed from his own collection, ones he had bought specifically for her, for tonight. They felt thick and luxurious, gloriously smooth to the touch.

Ned cleaned off the sweat of the day, taking his time even though he was still keyed up, then returned to the master suite. He had left candles on the nightstands, and he found her lighting them, her reddish-gold hair loose, her skin golden in the soft glow. She wore a short black nightgown that clung to her curves, and he couldn't help appreciating the way she looked in it.

When she turned to him, she smiled. "I can't even imagine how much work today must have taken," she said. "You thought of everything. I'm just... you're incredible."

"It was a lot of coordinating," he agreed. "But it was worth it, because it was for you. And I didn't want a single thing to be wrong... I wanted you to be so happy that you wouldn't have any doubts at all about this."

After she lit the last candle, she walked over to him. "Did you really think I would?"

He ducked his head, and she touched his cheek. He pressed a kiss against her palm. "No," he murmured. "But it was easy to be afraid when I had so much time to think."

She shook her head. "Let me tell you something," she murmured, gently lifting his chin a little so that he was looking into her face. "I could not be happier or more content with anyone else on this earth, and I know that. I know it with all my heart. I don't feel any doubt at all, and when you asked me if I wanted to be with you for the rest of my life, I felt like... like there was no ground under my feet anymore. I still feel that way, like I'm walking on air.

"But I think I understand..." She glanced down for a moment, biting her lip, then looked back up at him. "My relationship with you is the most important one in my life right now, and if I thought I was about to make a decision that might jeopardize it..."

He nodded. "No matter what," he told her softly, "please, no matter what, don't let it come to that. Please."

She stroked her hand through his hair, searching his eyes. "I never want to lose you," she told him. "I love you. I always will."

"And I love you," he murmured, bending down to her.

Their kiss started slow and became deeper, and he found himself backing her up to the bed. She made a soft noise, grasping the waistband of his underwear as she lost her balance and sat down on the mattress, pulling him with her. He loved the almost-shocked expression, followed by the low-lidded gaze of desire, when he slipped one knee, then another, between her legs and parted them wide. She was still wearing panties underneath, damn it, but they looked thin and lacy and brief as a thong. And oh God, that smooth creamy flesh, pale and warm...

He loved that she shaved for him, that she had shaved for him. He hadn't shaved since that morning, in anticipation of going down on her, rubbing the rough edges of his stubble against her pussy and clit until she was sobbing in pleasure.

She would be his wife, and they could do that as often as they wanted now.

He kissed her again, pinning her heavily against the mattress with his weight, his hips tight against hers as he rubbed his erect cock between her wide-parted legs, and she shuddered, arching under him. He felt her whimper against their kiss, and she responded willingly to him as he rubbed against her again through their underwear.

"Baby," he panted against her ear when they broke the kiss. "Can we try something?"

"Mmm-hmm," she moaned.

He gave her another long, lingering kiss, bringing his hand down to rub against her hard-tipped nipple through the fabric of her gown, their hips still slowly grinding against each other, before he reluctantly released her and went to his small bag. She released a low groan, and when he looked back at her, her legs were still parted wide, her gown pushed up above her navel. She looked good enough to eat, he thought.

When she saw the toy he brought to the bed, her eyes widened, and she glanced from it up into his eyes. "What is it?" she asked softly.

He had always loved knowing that he was teaching her, that anything they did together was, for her, the first time. He loved how natural and innocent she was—and how, now that they had become lovers, he could reduce her to sobbing, begging with those sweet, pretty lips for him to fill her with his big, hard cock.

"It will help you come," he told her. "It was very highly recommended. Is that okay?"

She nodded slowly, but the expression on her face was still questioning. "I thought we had that pretty well figured out?"

He smiled at her, stretching out beside her, leaving the toy on the bed as he cupped her breast again, bringing his lips close to her ear. "Do you know what your g-spot is, sweetheart?"

Her cheek warmed and brightened, and he nuzzled against her. "I'm not sure," she whispered. "It's... inside me?"

"Mmm-hmm." He ran his thumb back and forth over the tip of her nipple as he trailed kisses down her neck. "I've found it a few times, when I was fingering you—or at least I'm pretty sure I've found it for you. Every woman's different, and those times when you're screaming because it feels so good, and practically _gushing_ against my fingers..."

She made a soft noise, shifting against the mattress as he gently pinched her nipple through the gown.

"Mmm. Which is incredibly fucking hot, by the way. I know you love that little bullet vibe we've been using, but this toy..." He kissed his way back up, looking into her eyes as he knelt over her again, and _God_ , he could feel that her panties were already hot and damp in anticipation. "This toy, baby—imagine that vibration, tingling against your clit, turning you on until you're aching and throbbing and begging for me..."

Nancy's lips were parted, and that blush in her cheeks was a little brighter as she stared up at him, and he felt her hips gently rise a little under his, seeking friction, seeking his touch.

"That vibration will be against your clit and against your g-spot at the same time, up inside that sweet little pussy, holding itself in place..." He pinned her under him again, nipped at her neck, and she gasped. "Jittering and vibrating against your sweet spot until you're gushing wet and then, when you're begging me, your hips jerking while you come..." He ground against her hard, and she gasped again. "It will still be vibrating against you while I slide my big," he kissed the corner of her mouth, "hard," he kissed the other corner, "hot," he kissed her chin, "cock in that tight little honeypot, while I fuck you until you come again."

"Oh _fuck_ ," she moaned. "Oh fuck yes, _now_."

Ned chuckled. "I bet just hearing that made you wet."

In response Nancy reached for his hand and brought it to rest against her crotch, and God, he knew she was ready for him. Taking his time, he knew, was going to be a total bitch.

But it would be worth it, if the recommendations had been true.

He knew that she liked it when he took her clothes off for her, so he kissed her as he slipped the gown up, pausing to slowly fondle each breast. Her nipples were tight, and they stiffened more against his touch, each brush of his thumb punctuated by another of her moans.

She was practically quivering when he slipped her panties down, and he could smell her musky arousal as he pulled her gown off too. She opened her legs to him immediately, the color still high in her cheeks.

She had been a shy, timid virgin a year earlier, who quivered whenever he tried to cajole her out of her underwear. Now she was only quivering in anticipation.

"I love you," he told her softly.

"I love you," she replied, and gave him a small smile. "I love you so much."

He picked up the toy and moved between her legs. She didn't protest, just gazed up at him curiously, and he had to swallow hard when she bent her knees and opened her legs as wide as she could for him.

"Like this?"

He smiled. "I very much like that," he intentionally misinterpreted her, and then moved the toy between her legs. He moved slowly, looking from the toy to her face often, watching her brow knit as one head penetrated her shallowly and the other settled against her clit. She released a silent sigh, then licked her lips.

"Feel okay?"

She nodded, and he saw the muscles in her stomach clench as he picked up the remote control.

Then he moved over her, pinning her so her legs were forced open, seating his hips firmly against her pelvis to keep the toy in place as he gently brushed the controls.

Her lips parted as she gasped, as she responded to the vibration. Her lashes fluttered, and he sucked her earlobe into his mouth as she tilted her hips.

"Faster?"

"Yes," she sighed.

He didn't know if the highest setting would be too intense for her, especially since he hadn't used toys for penetrating foreplay yet, so he kissed her and worked the vibration speed up gradually. She released the occasional soft sigh, running her fingers through his hair as he nuzzled against her breast. He could feel the toy jittering between them, and it was turning him on too.

At the next increase in vibration, he felt her inner thighs tense as she began to rock her hips. "Mmm. Must be good," he whispered, then suckled hard against her other breast.

"Mmm," she moaned in reply, her voice soft. "Oh, _God_..."

Her orgasm was slow, and the first time he took the vibration all the way to maximum, he did so only for a second. She arched hard, bucking under him, letting out a harsh sobbed cry. He took it back down and she released a half-pleading whimper.

"Again?"

"Mmm," she moaned, nodding, her nails sweeping against his shoulder blades.

He flicked his thumb against the control and she arched quickly, her hips rocking harder. "Ngh," she whimpered, and she bucked again when he gently bit her nipple. "Ohhhhh..."

He took it back down, then back up again, almost all the way off and then back up, leaving it there as she began to rock and circle and thrust her hips. Her lips parted and she began panting, then whimpering. " _Fuck_ ," she breathed. "Oh holy _fuck_..."

Ned smiled against her breast. "Was that a request?" he murmured.

"Ohhhh..." Her voice was shaking a little. "Is there a—an alternating—setting on it... oh _fuck_..."

He looked down and found it, making sure the vibration was still at maximum, and she released a loud cry, her hips circling. "Oh my _Goddd_ ," she moaned. "Oh!"

He kissed her and she dug her nails into his back, still bucking under him. "Is it good, baby?"

She made another incoherent sound. "Yes, yes," she sobbed, shuddering when he drew her earlobe into his mouth, keeping one hand on the controls as he massaged her breast with the other, plucking at her tight nipple. "Both," she gasped out, and he released the controls to fondle her breasts at the same time.

She tipped her head back, letting out a long, low moan. "Fuck," she sobbed, and he could hear the tension in her voice.

"You're close," he said softly, moving to look into her face, feeling her rock and shudder against him. Her brow was knit, and she had that peculiar expression, the one between pleasure and pain. She was flushed and glowing, the soles of her feet moving against the sheet.

He left the vibration just below the maximum as he moved over her, and her bent legs were spread wide, and she released a low pleading moan, her spine arching in a slow languorous movement that made him swallow hard. Her nails scratched against the sheet and he fitted himself just inside her, considering lowering the vibration so she would be able to hold out and come with him.

Though they had slept together many, many times since her spring break, he still tried to take things a little gentler with her than he would have otherwise, and he kept his gaze on her face as he began to move inside her. "Holy _fuck_ ," he whispered. "God, you are so wet and tight..."

She gasped, bringing her gaze up to his face before she closed her eyes, squirming her hips, and Ned groaned. When he moved a little deeper, preparing for a long thrust, she whimpered, and he realized she was pushing herself away from him.

"Oh... please, I can't..."

"What's wrong?"

"Too big..." She was panting. "It hurts, I'm sorry..."

He moved back, out of her, and was reminded of the way she had been when he had taken her virginity. She relaxed, slumping to the bed, her brow knit. She looked upset.

He reached for the remote. "Shit. I'm sorry, honey. You want me to turn it off?"

"Yeah," she murmured, sweeping her hair out of her face. He turned off the toy and slipped it out of her, the soft latex surface glistening from her arousal, and put it down on the nightstand. Her blue eyes were troubled when he returned to her.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered. "Oh God, it _hurt_..."

He cupped her face. "Baby, _I'm_ sorry," he told her. "Don't be. If it ever hurts, tell me so we can stop. I never want to hurt you. Not like that."

She touched his hand. "You're just so big," she whispered.

He leaned down and kissed her gently. "It's all right. I'm sorry. Did you like it before that?"

She nodded and drew in a shivering breath. "I screwed it up," she whispered. "I... did I do it wrong?"

He shook his head, moving onto his side. "Come here," he murmured, and when she obeyed he drew her onto her side, into his arms. "It's okay. You're just tight, and I thought the toy was small enough, but it's all right. You didn't do anything wrong. Don't be upset." He kissed her temple, her cheekbone. "I'm just sorry I hurt you..."

She released a soft sigh, nestling against him. "I'll just try to catch my breath," she whispered. "I guess... Here."

She reached down and wrapped his cock in her fist, clasping him gently, and Ned let out a long sigh. "Baby, you don't have to," he murmured.

"Do you not want me to?" She looked at him through her lashes.

"Of course I want you to," he reluctantly admitted, and his heart beat faster when she scooted down on the bed, positioning herself so she could give him head.

She had been very attentive when he had been teaching her how he liked it, and though he couldn't resist the urge to thread his fingers through her hair, he didn't need to give her any direction. She licked the tip of his cock, then flicked her tongue in a firm circle, alternating with hard strokes too. Her fingertips stroked up and down the underside of his shaft, while her other hand gently fondled and teased his balls.

"Mmm. God, that's good," he told her, and when she gently sucked on the head of his cock, he groaned. "Baby, shit, you didn't have to... but I will definitely return the favor... oh _shit_ , just like that..."

She sucked at him, bobbing her head up and down a few times, then released him so she could kiss and lick her way up and down his cock. He loved that she would actually take his balls in her mouth and massage them with her tongue, that she had done it even without his asking the first time.

Then she kissed her way back to the tip, sucking him in and caressing him with her tongue and mouth, and he groaned. Warning her when he was about to come actually almost hurt, and when she released him he immediately grasped his cock, frantically jerking himself off. It only took a few strokes, and then he relaxed with a groan, closing his eyes.

He heard the bed creak faintly as she left it, then the sound of water running. She returned to the bed a moment later, and when he opened his eyes, she was offering him a damp washcloth.

"Thanks," he murmured. Generally he was the one who left the bed to get a cloth.

She laid down beside him, and after he had put the cloth on the bedside table, he slipped his arm under her and cuddled her close to him. "That was incredible, baby," he murmured, his lips brushing the crown of her head.

"Thanks," she said softly, and he could hear that she was smiling. "I think I'm getting better at it..."

He smiled, too. "If you get much better at it, honey, next time I'll just die of pure pleasure," he murmured.

She sighed, and he was glad that she didn't seem reluctant to touch him, that the pain hadn't been terrible enough to make her skittish. They held each other, both of them naked, and whenever his eyes opened for a brief glance, he saw the candlelight flickering golden as it was reflected in her skin and hair. Through the high windows against one wall, he could see the stars, pure and undisturbed by the lights of civilization.

"Nan," he murmured.

She made a soft sound. "Did you want to try it again?" she murmured.

He cupped her cheek, pressing his lips against her forehead. "Not that way, again," he told her. "But you liked it, before I started getting inside you?"

"Yeah," she admitted, her voice quieter. "I did... maybe we can use it later, but did you bring the little one we were using before?"

"Mmm-hmm." He kissed her temple. "You want to use that one instead?"

"If you're okay with that."

"Of course I am, sweetheart. I know how much you love it. Did you mean... soon?"

"In a minute," she murmured, tipping her head back so she could kiss him.

"Still hurting?" he murmured when she finally broke the kiss.

She released a soft sigh. "I'm okay, I think," she said, and drew her fingernails lightly up his back. He shivered a little. "Just a little sore, but I'm all right."

"Well," he murmured, and kissed the tip of her nose, "I'll be gentle, sweetheart."

"Just not _too_ gentle," she said softly, and he chuckled a little.

He moved her onto her back, then kissed and nuzzled his way down slowly, trailing his lips against her neck, her collarbones, her breastbone, the points of her shoulders. He licked the tip of her breast and felt her nipple harden in response, and then she sighed and ran her fingers through his hair.

He worked her up to it, licking and suckling against each breast before he lightly rubbed his stubbled chin against the sensitive skin. She gasped, parting her legs and drawing her knees up so she cradled his hips.

He fondled her other breast, and now that they were both naked, when she ground against him he could feel her slick, hot inner flesh, and how much she wanted him. "Good?"

"Mmm," she moaned, running her fingers through his hair, and she dragged her nails gently against his scalp. "God, yes."

He bit her nipple briefly, applying only gentle pressure, and she bucked slightly in response. "Mmm," he murmured, rubbing his chin against her other breast, and her hips trembled.

His wife. She would be his wife.

He kept teasing and gently abusing her breasts until she reached down and cupped one side of his ass. "Please," she murmured, and he released her breast. "Please, Ned, make me come..."

"Mmm," he murmured. "You've been waiting a while, haven't you, baby..."

"Yeah," she said softly. "I want you so much."

"Tell me," he said, then kissed the skin between her breasts, began to very slowly work his way down.

"How much I want you? Or _how_ I want you?"

"Both," he murmured, his voice muffled against her skin.

She let out a soft sound between a breath and a moan as he kissed her just beneath her navel. "I want you all the time," she said softly. "I want to be near you, with you, feeling you against me, inside me. I just want to look at you... and then when you look into my eyes, I think I might die, and I just can't look away."

"You think you might die?"

She ran her fingers through his hair again. "It's like lightning all the way down my spine," she whispered. "It's this hunger and it's stronger than anything I've ever known before. I crave you; I crave all of you. The low, sexy sound of your voice, the feel of your fingertips, your tongue... to see you look at me with such love that I can barely stand it, and I feel such love for you too, so much more than I could ever say. So much that if you didn't love me too, it would eat me alive..."

He kissed the hollow of her hip, the dip of her inner thigh. "Yes," he said softly. "I feel the same way."

"And now," she was smiling, he could hear it, "we'll be together... and I'll always be amazed that I found you, that you love me..."

"How could I not love you?" He kissed the inner side of her knee. "You're smart and sweet and tough as nails, and so beautiful. I would've moved heaven and earth just to get your attention."

"And what has always, _always_ impressed me about you," she murmured, "has always been just you. I want you more than I could ever say; I want you over me, looking into my eyes, so deep inside me; I want to feel you move in and out of me until neither of us can hold out anymore. I want to cry out with you when you come with me, and when you come, when you leave that piece of you inside me and we're holding each other, I love that I'm the only woman who will ever know what that feels like... that this man who I love more than anything else in the world, that we'll be together the rest of our lives."

He moved up so he could look into her eyes. "You're the other half of me, Nan," he murmured. "I never want to let you go. Being with you feels like home, and it scared me so much when I realized that if you didn't feel this way too, nothing I could do would ever change your mind. I can't believe you'll be my wife..."

She smiled at him. "More than that," she murmured. "Partner."

He nodded. "Partner," he murmured.

Then he lifted her legs so he could fold them over his shoulders, kneeling between her thighs.

Her reaction to oral sex was always intense, and he loved it; he loved listening to her gasp and sob, the way she quivered when he suckled hard against her firm clit, when her slick, tight inner flesh clenched against his fingers as he used them to penetrate her. He moved gently in the hollow of her sex in case she was still sore, but from the way her grasp tightened in his hair, the way her hips rolled under him, the sobbed gasps and moans she was making, she definitely seemed to have recovered.

He rubbed his chin against her clit and she released a loud, sharp cry, arching under him. She burbled with incoherent pleading and he plunged his fingers deep inside her, teasing the folds of her sex with his stubbled chin, then licking, sucking, gently nipping at her clit. He felt her heels move against his back as she groaned in pleasure.

"My precious girl," he murmured against her. "So sweet and tight..."

She was breathless, but she still managed to scream when he rubbed his chin against her clit again. "Oh _fuck_ , Ned," she sobbed, and he could feel her throbbing against him. "Ohhhhh, oh my _God so good,_ please..."

"Yeah," he growled, then let his legs down and stood at the foot of the bed. Her legs were still hooked over his shoulders, and she tightened her grip, blinking with surprise up at him. Her face was flushed and glowing again, and he could see her exertion and his saliva still gleaming on her breasts.

He was fully, almost painfully aroused again as he lined them up, and when she cupped her own breast, her lips parted and lashes low, he groaned and held her in place so he could slide his cock into the tender heat between her quivering thighs, where she was tight and still pulsing with arousal. She tightened as soon as he entered her, then relaxed, tipping her head back as he moved more deeply inside her.

"Mmmm," she moaned. "God, that feels so good..."

"Rub your nipples, baby."

She obliged him, cupping her breasts and rolling her nipples between her fingers, and Ned groaned in pleasure at the sight. "Oh yeah, that is so hot," he told her, sliding the full length of his cock inside her before he brushed his fingertips lightly against her clit.

She gasped and sobbed, pinching her nipples. Since she had her legs looped over his shoulders and he didn't need to support his weight, he was able to keep his thumb working hard against her clit as he stroked her ass with the other. She didn't protest, she just kept whining and sobbing in pleasure as she fondled her breasts, and then he used both hands to part the lips of her sex and shift the angle of her hips.

She sucked in a loud breath, then cried out. "Oh—oh _fuck_ ," she sobbed, her shoulders rolling. She screamed on his next thrust.

He grasped her hips again and moved his knees onto the bed, still pounding in and out of her in hard rough strokes, watching her body tremble in response, her breasts bouncing. Her moans were interrupted each time, intensifying when he rubbed her clit harder.

When he had told her that he would prepare her for anal sex, he had meant it. But he still hadn't really broached the topic with her. He massaged her ass with both hands, then brought one hand between her thighs to stroke her clit again as he gently stroked her perineum with the other.

The hot, slick proof of her arousal gushed against his cock as she responded to the stimulation, bucking wildly, releasing deep gasping groans as she frantically pinched and fondled her nipples. She had her head tipped back, and she quivered with every brush of his fingers.

"You like that? Oh yeah, you know you do," he growled, fucking her harder. "Look at me, baby. Let me see your face while your tight little pussy shows me how you like it when I play with your ass, Nan."

Her face was flushed brightly, her eyes gleaming as she looked at him. "Oh _God_ ," she sobbed. "So good, it feels so good..."

"Yeah, baby. God, that sweet pussy feels so good and tight around me..."

He was panting, and when she clenched hard around him, he pushed deep inside her and finally, groaning with relief, spent himself. He was still rubbing her clit, and she was rolling her hips, arching and moving in rough quick counterpoint to his thrusts, and she was so slick and hot, her sex tight and perfect against his cock.

Then she stiffened, her inner flesh throbbing in quick pulses against his cock as she came, panting and sobbing with pleasure. Her hands fell away from her breasts and she looked limp and spent, just as he felt.

"God," he groaned, as she relaxed her legs and her torso fell down to the mattress. She was so slick that he slid out of her easily, and he used the last of his strength to reach for the cloth she had brought him earlier, using it to wipe the trace of them from her thighs.

She was still gasping, trying to catch her breath as he cleaned himself up too, then sprawled beside her on the bed.

Ned sighed, closing his eyes. "Holy fuck," he mumbled. The pillowcase was cool under his cheek, and he was sweaty and exhausted and completely sated. The mattress occasionally trembled under him as she quivered beside him, responding to the aftershocks of her orgasm. She made soft, almost wounded whimpering sounds each time, punctuated by quiet low sighs.

"You okay, baby?"

"Mmm. Mmm-hmm," she replied, her voice just above a whisper. He felt her hand brush his, and he closed his palm over hers, lacing their fingers together. He could feel the engagement ring on her ring finger.

It was real. Every time he thought it again, it felt a little more real.

He wondered how he would feel on their wedding day. Seeing her walk down the aisle to him, radiant, exquisite, and perfectly happy.

After she had finally recovered, she moved and he heard the bed creak as she sat up. He opened his eyes slowly, looking up at her as she leaned over to blow out the candles on her side of the bed, her hand still joined to his. He smiled and pushed himself up to do the same on his side, and even once all the candles were out, the faint starlight meant the room wasn't cast in total darkness.

She moved to pull the sheet over them, and Ned joined her underneath it, releasing her hand to loop his arm over her. She made a soft pleased sound and he felt the same impulse he always did, to shelter her and protect her. She was so tender, so sweet and innocent, and what she had given him and shared with him, she had done in love.

And he was going to do everything he could to keep her safe, forever.

She kissed his breastbone. "I love you," she whispered. "I love you so much. That felt so good, baby."

He smiled. "Good," he murmured. "Maybe we can try a little more next time."

"Mmm. Maybe," she replied. "I... I liked it more than I thought I would. And you like that?"

"Doing that to you, or having it done to me?"

"I meant doing it with me, like we were just doing, but I guess either one," she murmured.

"I very much enjoy anal sex," he told her. "Giving it, I mean. And if you want to do that, like I told you, we'll take it slow and gentle. But it's nice, being able to fill you up... I could use that little bullet vibe against your clit while we do it, and even maybe a little toy inside you too. Or, shit, that little toy we were just using... mmm, to be able to control that while I was fucking that cute little ass of yours."

She made a soft sound. "Maybe," she murmured, and then she hooked her leg over his hips, and he brought his hand down to cup against the join of her thighs. He felt the mound of her sex tremble gently as her inner muscles clenched in anticipation, and he worked one finger inside the hollow of her sex, his balls tightening as she released a soft moan in the dark.

"Or like this," he growled, his voice low and almost rough. "To feel you clench and gush around my fingers, while I rub my thumb against your clit. With a mirror in front of us so I can watch those beautiful eyes while I fuck you. If you want that."

"Mmm," she moaned. He began to work his finger in and out of her, in the same gentle rhythm he had been using with her since he had first brought her to orgasm in his Chicago apartment. "And... and you?"

"Mmm-hmm," he told her. "I like ass play too. Like what I was doing with you while we were just having sex, or a little more than that..."

She made a soft surprised sound. "Really?"

"Yeah. It feels really good, baby. A lot of guys like it. During a blow job? Holy shit."

She shifted against the mattress, opening her legs wider. He smiled and slipped a second finger inside her, and she began to grind against his hand more deliberately.

"And you would want me to..." Her voice trailed off as she drew her bent knee up against his hip, releasing a soft groan. He worked the full length of his fingers in and out of her, and when he began to brush her clit too, she groaned.

"If you wanted to," he told her. "Fuck, you're wet. Do you want to try the toy again, if I won't try to fuck you while we're using it?"

"Mmm. Yeah," she moaned, her hips thrusting gently against his hand.

She slumped to the bed, releasing another soft groan as Ned propped himself up to turn on the bedside lamp and find the toy. She spread her legs wide for him again, her gaze still low-lidded and aroused, and he fitted the toy inside her again, then turned the vibration to a low setting. She groaned deep in her throat, bending her knees.

"Hands and knees, baby."

She moaned again, but she did as he asked. Ned went to the small bag he had brought with him, growling in frustration at how slippery his fingers still were from her arousal.

He dumped what he brought back with him onto the edge of the bed, then paused for a second, watching her roll her hips as the toy stimulated her clit and g-spot. She looked hot as holy fuck, her hair and breasts swaying, her teeth sunk into her lower lip, and when she tossed her hair Ned almost groaned aloud.

"Coming?" she gasped, her eyes twinkling.

Ned nodded, moving onto the bed behind her. "I just want to finger your ass, all right? Kind of like we used to do when we were first fooling around. I won't put my cock inside you, and we'll just see if you like this. It's okay if you don't, and if you don't even want to try that, just tell me."

She paused, her hips still swaying. "Okay," she murmured. "Just... just your finger, right?"

"Mmm-hmm," he told her, reaching for a condom. Once he had two fingers wrapped in the thin latex, he popped the top on the lube, squeezing a generous amount onto his fingers.

Before he began, he cupped his hand between her thighs, seating the toy a little more firmly, and Nancy gasped, grinding against his hand. "Mmm, _mmmm_ ," she moaned. "Oh _yeah,_ oh fuck that is so good... Faster?"

"In a minute," he told her. If he only had three hands... well, he couldn't do anything about it now.

He kept his hand cupped against the mound of her sex as he brushed against her perineum with his lubricated fingers, then began to gently stroke it. She ground against his cupped hand, hanging her head, and he heard her gasping and panting harshly, but she wasn't pushing him away or protesting.

He took it slowly, and when her knees slid a little further apart, it was all he could do not to position himself behind her and bury himself in the tight slick heat of her sex. Instead he gently ran his fingers up the cleft of her ass, then back down again, until he found the tight rim of her asshole.

She moaned, still grinding against his hand. "Faster," she begged him. "Please..."

His heart beat a little harder as he thought of something. "The control's near your right knee," he told her. "Pick it up, but don't put it on maximum until I tell you, baby."

She hesitated, and he wasn't sure if she was going to do it, but then she groped between her knees and found the control. He rimmed her asshole, then began to gently probe the entrance of her sex with the index finger of his other hand.

"Fuck," she groaned, her hips still rocking. "Just a little more?"

"On the vibration? Sure," he told her, and he heard it hum a little louder as he tentatively began to finger her.

He had a feeling that the toy was one of the major reasons she was okay with letting him play with her ass, but he didn't mind that much. She let him finger her ass, and since his fingers weren't nearly so thick as his cock, she also let him work two fingers up into her sex. He felt the toy vibrate inside her, and couldn't help feeling a little disappointed. He could just imagine how fucking hot it would have been to feel that vibration against his cock while he was buried fully inside her.

But it had hurt her, and he definitely didn't want to hurt her again.

She had been groaning throughout; when he had penetrated her both ways, she began panting, her hips rocking. "Holy _fuck_ ," she moaned.

"Good, baby? You like it? Your sweet little ass is nice and tight."

"Mmm," she moaned. "Holy _fuck_ , I would suck your cock right now if I could, to get you to keep doing that. _God_. Why does this feel good?"

He released a soft chuckle. "It's a mystery," he teased her. "Mmm. Take it up to maximum, if you think you can handle it."

She touched the controls, and then he felt her entire body tense and strain as she obeyed him. "Oh _shit_ ," she screamed, and when she began to fucking _piston_ her hips in response, Ned moved so she could grind the toy against his hand and press it more firmly against her, and she screamed even more loudly. "Oh fuck oh fuuuuuuck oh _God yes yesyesyesyesoh fuuuuuck_..."

He plunged another finger inside her sex, letting her fuck his fingers as he worked his other index finger in and out of her ass, and her hips quivered as she bucked and circled them. Listening to her scream and sob as she orgasmed, feeling her inner flesh ripple and spasm again, and imagining her sweet lips wrapped around his cock, imagining her fingering his ass the way he was fingering hers...

"Shit," he growled as she screamed again, her knees parting in a wide split as she mounted his fingers and began to rut against them, his other fingers working in her ass. She took the vibration down and then drove it rapidly back up, sobbing, trembling, and the second time she did it, Ned moved so the tip of his cock was brushing against the smooth skin at the small of her back, and the contact made him shudder. Rubbing against her while she was using the toy to masturbate and letting him finger her was making him incredibly hard.

"God," she sobbed. "Oh God oh God oh _fuck_ , oh my _God!_ "

"That's right," he panted, rapidly thrusting his fingers, and when she shuddered hard, arching her back, he found that the tip of his cock was resting just at the top of the cleft of her ass. It would be so, so easy, and it was so, so tempting to just move it a few more inches; her ass was already relaxed and lubricated...

He had just told himself firmly that it would be a very, very bad idea when she let out a loud cry, then turned off the vibration in the toy, panting for breath. Her sex clenched and relaxed around his fingers, and when Ned managed to pull the toy out of her, then rub his thumb against her clit, she sobbed.

"That good, baby?"

She released a loud pleading cry, wordless and begging. trembling when he kept stroking her clit. He leaned forward, his cock pressed against her as he pressed his lips against her ear.

"Ride me, sexy girl," he growled. "I'll keep fingering that hot, tight ass while you do. Please, baby."

She nodded, and Ned quickly moved onto his back. She was still shaking when she threw her knee over him to straddle him, and he held his cock in place for her to mount him. As soon as she sank over him, as soon as the tip of his cock was just inside her entrance, the flesh practically dripping wet and tender with arousal, he worked his fingers back into her tight asshole and began to roughly fondle her clit.

Nancy tipped her head back and released a loud scream as she began to frantically fuck him, her hips bucking wildly, her breasts bouncing. She propped herself up on her palms between his legs, then brought the sole of each foot to rest on the mattress so she could squat over him, fucking him faster.

"Fuck _yes_ ," Ned growled. "Oh fuck yes, baby, that is so incredibly fucking hot. God, I can't wait to fuck that tight little ass. You are gonna feel so good, baby. Shit, that sweet wet pussy feels so good... that's right, baby, I know you like it a little rough..."

She was releasing low ragged groans, shuddering, her inner flesh clenching tight against his cock as she rapidly bounced up and down on top of him. He propped his feet up too, using the leverage to fuck her too, and he knew she was getting close again when her screams became high, almost soundless, her thrusts harder.

"Come," he begged her. "Clench that sweet pussy tight around me and come."

She arched her back so hard that he felt her hair brush against his inner thighs, releasing a high sobbing cry, and obeyed him; Ned released his own hoarse cry as he followed, spending himself deep between her thighs.

"Ohhhhhh," she groaned, sinking down so he was hilt-deep inside her, and even though Ned was completely exhausted again, he kept slowly fondling her clit, keeping the tip of his index finger in her asshole. She groaned, arching again, her hips gently rocking. Her face was flushed bright red again.

"Ned," she moaned. "Oh holy _fuck_..."

He let out a soft chuckle. "Baby... I think we're gonna break our record tonight."

She trembled, and he felt her sex continue to spasm around his softening cock as he kept stroking her clit. He moved his other hand from behind her, whipping his wrist a few times so the condom slipped off, then rolled her onto her back and buried his face between her thighs.

She was already boneless, spent and sated from consecutive orgasms, and bringing her to another one was slow. He suckled, lapped at, and abused her clit with his tongue and stubble as he groped beside them on the bed, accidentally pushing a few extra condoms off before he found what he wanted.

The dildo was small and not as thick as his cock, but her legs were spread wide and her sex was very well lubricated already. She had her head tipped back when he positioned it just at her opening, and she released a soft inquisitive sound, the mattress shifting as she moved.

"Just relax," Ned murmured against her clit, then gently pushed the dildo inside her, where she was wet with her arousal and his seed.

She arched her back, letting out a loud cry. "Oh my _God_ ," she moaned. "I think I've died... oh holy _fuck_ , that's a toy, isn't it..."

"Mmm-hmm."

She propped the soles of her feet on the bed to angle her hips. "It makes me feel so _bad_ when you do this," she moaned. "Oh _fuck_... working a... a _sex toy_ inside me while you suck my clit... _fuck_..."

"Bad?" he murmured, then gently bit her clit as he pushed the full length of the dildo between her legs, and he felt her tighten under him, her stomach muscles tensing.

"Dirty," she moaned. "Only a _bad_ girl would... oh, oh _fuck_ , oh my _God_... only a bad girl would like this... only a bad girl would like it when you were—doing _that_ —that way..."

Ned chuckled, then rubbed his chin against her, still working the dildo in and out of her in long strokes as he replied. "Fingering that tight little ass, you mean? I could feel you creaming yourself, baby. And you _like_ when it's a little dirty. You like feeling like you're being bad with me."

"Mmm-hmm," she replied, then sucked in a sharp breath when he suckled against her clit again. "Ohhhh, oh _fuck_. I love... when you ask me to do something really... really dirty... _ohhhhh_... I can hear how turned on you are and it drives me _crazy! Oh shit!_ "

She began to rock her hips, and one of her hands touched his head, then tangled in his hair. He was plunging the dildo in and out of her, and then he angled his chin against her—and he had to smile when she began to rub herself against it without his having to move.

Then he took her other hand and guided it down, wrapping it around the base of the dildo. "Fuck yourself, beautiful girl," he groaned, and he kept sucking and teasing her clit as he listened to the wet sound of her working the dildo in and out of her tight slick pussy. She was sobbing and groaning, twisting her hips back and forth, and Ned reached up to pinch her nipples.

She screamed, arching, and he heard the dildo move faster. He couldn't resist; he had to move back to watch, and seeing her with her legs sprawled wide, working the toy between her legs, made him growl in pleasure. He reached beside them and found the bullet vibrator, and when he turned it on and touched it to one of her nipples, she jumped, gasping.

"Here, baby," he told her, bringing her other hand between her legs and then pressing the bullet vibe against her clit, and she let out a high shrill scream. "Use it, sweetheart..."

She took it and rubbed it frantically against the tip of her flushed pink clit, her other hand still working the dildo inside her, and Ned felt his balls tighten again in arousal, at the sheer dirty thrill of watching his fiancée masturbate, and not because he had begged her to. She hadn't needed cajoling, and she was clearly getting off on it.

He moved over her, kissing her lips, and when she turned to him he kissed her hard, plunging his tongue into her mouth, letting her taste her arousal on his tongue. Then he moved down and began to tease and suck her nipples, rubbing his chin against them and then licking the taste of her arousal off her skin, pausing every now and then just to watch her masturbate.

Then she groaned. "God," she moaned. "Oh, baby..."

"Good?"

"Yeah," she whispered, soft and reluctant, and Ned's cock twitched. "My hand's getting tired..."

"Need some help?"

"Mmm-hmm," she moaned, biting her lip, and when he looked at her face, he saw that her eyes were sparkling.

He moved between her thighs, taking the dildo out of her hand and putting it down, and she kept playing the bullet vibrator against her clit as he slowly penetrated her. She shuddered, wrapping her legs around him as he moved over her, propping himself up on his arms so he could look down into her face.

"I love you," he murmured.

"I love you," she told him, and he felt her tighten and relax around him.

He worked in her in long smooth thrusts, the small vibrator still buzzing and humming between them as she stimulated her clit with it, and they kissed at the deepest point in every thrust.

"Fuck," he mumbled, pulling back again. "Nan, seriously, you're a fucking aphrodisiac."

She smiled. "It's the ring," she told him. "Knowing we're going to be married..."

"Maybe," he murmured. "And there's probably a good reason we shouldn't be fucking like rabbits every night..."

"The flight we're taking tomorrow," she suggested. "And then, once I... ohhhhhhh, God that's good... once I'm back in school..."

"When you say _school_ ," he told her, "that makes me think of this little naughty-student fantasy I have that involves bending you over a desk, flipping up your skirt to see you aren't wearing any panties... and then fucking you until you're screaming."

"I think that's how all your fantasies end," she teased him, smiling. She reached up and cupped his cheek, angling her hips again, and then she arched under him.

"Just like that?"

"Mmmm... y-yes," she sobbed. "Ohhhhh..."

He reached between them and found the hand holding the vibrator, took it away from her, and began to rub it more firmly against her clit. She screamed, propping her feet against the mattress to thrust hard against him, trembling.

"They do all end that way," he told her. "Maybe we can sneak into a classroom late one night..."

She was panting, but she brought her chin down to look up at him accusingly. "Ned," she said.

"Lie all you want; I felt your pussy get tight around me when I said it."

She blushed again. "Maybe if we lock the door," she whimpered, then began to rock against him again.

Soon she was releasing long sobbing cries, rutting against him, and Ned kissed her hard. She buried her fingers in his hair and he felt her body shudder as she took his thrusts. It was perfect, and he couldn't make it last long enough.

When they came together, he pressed the control on the vibrator and let it roll off her belly and onto the mattress, then collapsed to her. She wrapped herself around him, moaning, trembling as she began to come down too.

He pressed his lips against hers. "I love you," he whispered. "I love you so much."

"And I love you," she whispered, kissing him back.

\--

They had been engaged for a week when Ned woke that Saturday morning, disoriented. An alarm was going off. It was Saturday; why was an alarm—

Oh.

He picked up his phone to silence it, fumbling with the touchscreen, and then collapsed back to the bed with a sigh. They needed to get up. Their breakfast was already ready; he could smell it.

With a sigh, he touched the switch that would raise the blackout curtains. The morning sunlight flooded in by inches, revealing the woman beside him, her face at the edge of his pillow, her reddish-gold hair on a spill over hers. Her arm had been looped over him, and she was stirring, disturbed from her sleep when he had moved to turn off the alarm.

"Mmm. Morning."

"Morning," she murmured, rubbing her lashes. She yawned. "This early?"

"Mmm-hmm."

She groaned softly. "I thought we promised we were going to get enough sleep last night," she murmured.

"Well, we went to _bed_ early," he pointed out, brushing a lock of hair from her cheek. She smirked, and he gave her a smile.

Over the past week, which they had spent at the New York apartment, they had celebrated their engagement—often by having sex at least once a day, usually more. The first person they had told in person was actually Louis, who hadn't been at all surprised but had offered his sincere congratulations. Then Nancy had called her aunt, and over dinner with her aunt and uncle, they had announced the news to them, too. Ned had met Eloise Drew Cooper a few times, casually, and Nancy's aunt was smart, perceptive, and straightforward. She had been genuinely happy for Nancy and Ned, and so had her husband, Seth.

Ned hoped that his first meal with the man who was now his future father-in-law would go as well as it had with Carson's sister.

Ned and Nancy had told their friends the news too, and in an expression of goodwill Fare had organized a little party for them. Josh and Maury had come too, and Maury had used it as an excuse to invite Bess and George, but mostly Bess, because he wanted to see her again.

Bess had screamed and hugged Nancy as soon as she had seen the ring in person. Her response to Nancy's initial text had been similar. Nancy had sent Bess the snapshot she had made of her and Ned on the picnic blanket with the ring sparkling between them, and Bess had immediately called her and screamed with glee. Nancy had winced and held the phone away from her ear, chuckling, and Ned had laughed too.

George had been a little more subdued with her congratulations, but then it would have been hard to top Bess.

The night of their impromptu engagement party had been one of the more memorable nights on the town, and that was saying something. They had scored a table at an exclusive restaurant uptown, commanded VIP tables at two clubs and danced until they were exhausted, and then Ned, by that point spectacularly drunk, had agreed to call a skeleton crew in so they could take out the yacht, especially since none of them were sober enough to manage the steering alone. The champagne had been flowing, and they had picked up massive takeout orders on the way, since Ned hadn't wanted to get Louis out of bed. He and Nancy had watched the sunrise that morning from the yacht's deck, most of the guests passed out and below decks. By then he had reached a place beyond inebriation, that strange fragile state when he was almost sober again, but the hangover hadn't yet hit, and he was praying that it wouldn't.

He had done to her that night what he had wanted to do the first time he had invited her out to his yacht. He had taken her to the plush, ornate stateroom he used on the yacht and he had slowly stripped her out of her party dress, fondling her roughly through her clothes and then underneath, her head lolling and lashes low as he flicked open her bra's closure and sent it to the floor.

He had been with women who made him feel strong, powerful, who put on a show of being impressed and overwhelmed; he had been with women whose languid disdain had made him despise them, or made him desperate to provoke a reaction.

But with her, what he felt, every time, was love. Love and desire, give and take, need and satisfaction. She liked to look into his eyes when they made love; she _wanted_ to see the look on his face, the desire in his eyes when he touched her, when he slid inside her. She had been dreamy and relaxed from the endless champagne toasts and sweet sangria, and when she had released the first low groan, uninhibited, her legs spread wide and welcoming him, he had loved it.

They had ended up on the thick pile carpet together, with him sitting up against the foot of the bed and her squatting over him, their hands joined, her sex hot and slick and tight as she fucked him. He had looked into her face as she bounced up and down, her brow knit and lips parted, had watched her arousal rise until she was gasping, sobbing, crying out.

And he had loved her. Oh God, how he had loved her, and how he loved her now and always would.

In the plush oversized bed he shared with her at his apartment, he dropped a kiss on her temple, then began to push the sheets back. "I think we can save some time if we shower together."

She laughed. "We _never_ save time when we shower together," she replied, sitting up. "By the time we're done, we need _another_ shower to clean up from the first one."

He gave her a grin. "That definitely sounded like a challenge."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "I bet you," she said, "that you won't be able to keep your hands to yourself." She stood at the side of his bed and stretched, entirely naked; he had left faint hickeys on her breasts and inner thighs the night before, and he hoped her nails hadn't left any marks when she had dragged them down his back—this time, anyway.

Ned raised both his eyebrows. "And what do you bet me? What do I get if I prove you wrong?"

She tilted her head, then sauntered over to the dresser and pulled out a low-cut blush-pink bra trimmed in white lace that was going to leave her breasts looking like a confection meant to be unwrapped, and panties to match. "Mmm. Well, since I know I'm right... I..." Then she blushed a little, and shook her head.

He loved that she ever blushed, that he was ever able to make her react that way. "Go ahead, honey. Say it. I'm sure it's good."

She shook her head again, and he followed her into the bathroom. "Come on, Nan. What were you thinking?"

She took a breath, then turned to him and lifted her chin. "Well, what I was thinking—you'd like so much that I'm sure you'd resist this once just for the reward."

"Ahh, _but_ ," he pointed out, "if you win and we end up fucking in the shower, it's kind of like we _both_ win."

Her lips turned up in a smile. "And if I lose and I tell you that I'll let you try something I know you've wanted to do..."

He had woken up with an erection, and her words were only making it worse. "Shit, baby. You mean if I don't touch you when we're in the shower, you might let me try... anal?"

"That was the first thought that popped into my head," she admitted quietly after a long pause, reaching for her hairbrush. "All right, I need the bathroom for a minute."

He left her there with a shake of his head, pulling a robe out of his closet and going to the guest bathroom. He waved to Louis on the way. Nancy insisted on privacy in the bathroom, but she had no problem showering or bathing with him.

She'd been right, he admitted to himself. If he knew that was his reward...

But then, he also knew her, and that she would probably do everything she could to win the bet, if she was so wary about trying out anal.

He decided to leave it up to her. She had liked it when he played with her ass the first time, and he had done it a few times since too, and she hadn't objected or needed to be drunk for it. She might need to be drunk if they did in fact try out anal, but he didn't want her too drunk, so drunk that she didn't really know what she was doing.

In case she decided that she did in fact want to carry through with the bet, he took care of his erection, then went back to the bedroom. He heard the shower running, and when he opened the bathroom door, she was just opening the shower door.

"So?"

She tilted her head, gesturing for him to join her.

"Is the bet official?"

"Do you want it to be?" She cast a brief glance up at his eyes as he stepped into the shower with her.

"Up to you," he said, trying to keep his tone casual.

"Mmm. If you touch me while we're in here together, other than the way you might brush against me anyway, and most especially if we end up having sex, you lose the bet."

Ned gave her a firm nod. "And if I fuck you on the bathroom rug, I don't lose the bet."

She wrinkled her nose at him. "I'm pretty sure that's still crossing the line."

"How? You said _in here._ " He shook his head, giving her a rakish grin. She looked so damn beautiful, and he was glad he had already taken care of his morning wood. "Next thing I know, you'll be saying that we can't have sex this morning."

She raised her eyebrows even higher that time. "Well, you _did_ say we'll be staying at your parents' house tonight," she pointed out. "What about no sex for the next twenty-four hours?"

Ned groaned. "Baby, if those were the terms, I'd forfeit right now. Unless you seriously aren't in the mood to have sex, and then it's not a bet anymore."

"Mmm. All right, just the morning, then."

"So you're fair game at twelve-oh-one."

"We'll see," she replied, smiling again. "But you have to stay in the shower with me, without taking things further."

"And we try anal if I manage to resist the formidable charm of my fiancée's smoking hot naked body. While I watch her soap up and rinse off."

"Mmm-hmm. But we won't try until we're in Chicago, and I don't have the prospect of a flight in front of me, and... and it's gentle."

"Sweetheart, it was always going to be gentle," he told her, reaching for the soap. "What do you get if you win? Besides an incredible fuck."

She shrugged. "Sounds like enough reward to me," she said with a smile.

Normally Ned would have been all over her as soon as they were both wet. Since the first weekend they had been together, it had been a way to see her and interact with her naked, and he had loved that. The shower was slippery enough that actually having sex in it was tricky, but fingering her while she gasped and sobbed against his lips or shoulder was good too. And she wasn't opposed to giving him head in the shower, either.

So instead, Ned offered to wash her hair for her, and was very sure to keep his hands away from anywhere she might consider losing their bet. He couldn't keep his eyes off her. She wasn't quite devious enough to put on a show for him, and besides, he was very content to watch her fondle herself or masturbate, and she knew that.

He wouldn't have turned it down if she had started, either. Seeing the trace of lather on her breasts and hips, the wet black of her lashes above shining blue eyes, the way she arched under the spray...

_Down_ , he told himself firmly. Or she would win without even trying.

Still, Ned was pretty sure that her willingness to even put anal on the table meant she was softening to the idea. Even if he didn't lose their bet, he thought he would be able to talk her into considering it soon.

When he was choosing his outfit for the day, he dressed in a way he knew she would love. They were going to a family picnic, so he wore jeans and leather sneakers, and a button-down pale-blue cotton shirt with a very faint stripe, rolling the sleeves up to his elbows. He didn't do much to his hair, and when he walked out of his bedroom and saw her, he was gratified to see her cheeks flush a little as she looked him over.

He looked her over, too. Her delectable lingerie was under a pretty cotton-sprigged sundress with a voluminous skirt, and the top of the dress clung to her breasts and emphasized her slender waist. She wore a light-purple cardigan over it and sandals, and her hair, still faintly damp, was in loose waves. When she reached up to tuck a loose strand behind her ear, he saw the diamond earrings he had given her for their first Christmas together sparkling in her lobes, and her engagement ring was on her finger, as it had been since he gave it to her.

"You look beautiful, Nan."

She smiled at him. "You don't look so bad yourself," she said, and reached for his hand. "Come on, I'm famished."

Louis had prepared strawberry brioche French toast for breakfast, with fresh whipped cream and warmed syrup, crispy bacon and fresh fruit. He sat down at the table with them after he had finished clearing up all the bowls and utensils he had used; after Nancy and Ned departed for Vermont, Ned had given him the next few days off before he joined them in Chicago.

"Potato salad?"

"In the refrigerator."

Nancy looked back and forth between Ned and Louis. "Ned, you said I didn't need to make anything to take with us!"

"Who said it's for the picnic?" Ned teased her, before spearing another bite of French toast.

Nancy huffed slightly, shaking her head. "I would have made something," she told him. "I don't want them to think I..." She trailed off, making a vague gesture.

"Sweetheart, there's _always_ too much food. Always. And my cousins and everyone around our age generally stop at a deli and buy something pre-made, anyway. No one's going to think any less of you for not showing up with, I don't know..."

"A brined, slow-roasted turkey," Louis helpfully suggested.

"Exactly. And it's not like we even had time this morning to put anything together."

Nancy gave him a small pout.

"But if it upsets you that much, next time, I'll let you know so you can make something. I'm sorry, honey."

He offered his hand, and she took it, squeezing his fingers gently. "I just don't want them to have any reason to not like me," she said softly.

"Nan, they _love_ you. They told me I couldn't come this year unless you were with me."

Louis chuckled. "And if anyone asks what the secret ingredient in the potato salad is, tell them dijon. They'll never know the difference." He winked at her.

Ned frowned at the chef in mock irritation. "Louis, what did I tell you about flirting with my future wife?"

Louis sighed in feigned dejection. "To only do it when you weren't in earshot."

"Exactly."

Ned was happy to see that the teasing had brought a small smile to Nancy's face. "I appreciate it, but really, it's okay. Thanks, though."

Louis shrugged. "Up to you, Nancy. Now, if you have a little bit of time, I've been considering a few options for the reception..."

When Nancy and Ned hadn't been naked and tangled around each other or celebrating with friends or family, they hadn't been able to resist the urge to start preliminary wedding planning. Ned had suggested that they have their wedding ceremony soon after her graduation in May, and she had agreed. New York seemed like a good locale for it, too; it was closer to his family than hers, but her aunt lived in the city, and they had fallen in love there. When Ned had mentioned that to Eva, Eva had _immediately_ started calling venues around New York City, telling Ned with exasperation that popular wedding locales were often booked more than a year in advance.

And then he had reminded Eva that money was no object, not when it came to his wedding, and a small smile had curled up her lips.

It was true. Ned wasn't going to begrudge his fiancée anything, not a single damn thing. He would buy out Madison Square Garden and hire every band she loved to serenade her on her wedding day, if that was what she wanted. He would give her a menagerie, a carnival, a faithfully-costumed French Renaissance court, anything at all she wanted, and he would do it gladly.

Nancy told him that she wanted a church wedding, and after considering some options and taking a brief tour, they had decided to book a date at the Riverside Church. She didn't want it to be an entirely public affair, and neither did he, but he wanted his family to be there, and hers—and his family was large. He wanted his friends to be there, and so did she, and the church had plenty of room for them to invite everyone they wanted.

Ned knew that Louis was still putting all he would need in place to buy his restaurant, but he had immediately agreed to handle the menu for Nancy and Ned's wedding reception. He had a friend who handled large-event catering, who came very highly recommended. While either of them could have handled the pastry responsibilities, the large, elaborate wedding cake would be best left to a bakery specially equipped for it.

They had a lot to plan, but Ned had no doubt that the day itself would be perfect, and as close to Nancy's dreams as he could make it.

The options were still swirling in Ned's head when he and Nancy loaded the car and the driver pulled away from the curb, heading for the hangar where Ned kept his aircraft. Louis could handle preparing the rehearsal dinner, and they would have a brunch the morning of the wedding. If they held the ceremony late afternoon, they could begin the reception soon after.

And the honeymoon. They hadn't yet decided on a location for the honeymoon.

Eve had suggested calling a very highly recommended wedding planner and coordinator to make sure everything was right, and Ned had just opened his mouth to mention that to his fiancée when he looked over at her.

The light caught on the polished hand-engraved surface of the love token hanging around her neck, the gift he had given her the weekend she had come to New York so they could make love for the first time. He had given it to her when he hadn't been able to say the words yet, when they had lingered in the air between them, in every glance and every kiss. He wanted her. He wanted her to be his.

And she had been his.

"What?" she said softly, looking up at him, having placed her purse at her feet.

"Whenever I see you wearing that necklace, I remember the week I gave it to you," he said softly.

She smiled. "I do too," she said, just as quietly. The partition wasn't up between them and the driver—but then, if he touched her while they were in the car, he had lost the bet.

It would be worth it, though.

"I... when I looked up what it meant, I... well, I saw that it was a commitment," she said. "That it would represent an understanding between us. And it's always meant so much to me." She smiled. "I love everything you've given me, but what I love the most is that everyone will know, now. That you're going to be my husband. That I've been lucky enough to find the love of my life."

He reached over and laced his fingers through hers, on the seat between them. "And I've found you," he said softly. "You make me so happy, Nan. And I'm so glad that you'll be my wife. That I can spend the rest of our lives trying to make you as happy as you've made me."

She shook her head slowly. "You don't have to," she murmured. "I already am."

He leaned in and gave her a soft, sweet kiss, one he intentionally kept chaste. Then, when he was looking into her eyes afterward, he slipped his hand under the hem of her sundress and ran it up her thigh, up to the side of her panties.

Nancy gasped, the color rising in her cheeks. "Ned," she chastised him softly, but her eyes were bright.

He smiled at her, then pulled his hand back. "Guess I just lost the bet, huh," he said, insincere dejection in his voice.

"I guess," she repeated, then tilted her head, still gazing into his eyes.

He slipped his arm around her waist, over the fabric of her dress that time, and whispered into her ear, "You know I always hold you to whatever you bet. I just didn't want you to have to do what you promised if it was going to make you uncomfortable."

She kissed his cheek. "That's very sweet of you," she murmured. "But I knew what I was doing."

Ned reached up and, knowing her body was shielded from view of the driver by his, deliberately cupped her breast, rubbing his thumb against her nipple. Her body's response was immediate and intoxicating. "And so do I," he told her, pitching his voice low and rough, his mouth against her ear. "And the idea of teasing and relaxing your sweet little ass until you get on your hands and knees and beg me to fuck it while I play with your clit, instead of knowing you're just doing it because we made a bet... I find that very, _very_ hot, beautiful."

She released an almost silent moan. "Oh, you're the _worst_ ," she whispered. "We're going to be around your family for the next twenty-four hours..."

"Mmm-hmm," Ned agreed, still gently fondling her breast. "Good thing I left a bottle of lube at my parents' house... although I bet you're wet as holy _fuck_ right now, under that pretty sundress."

"And my panties are going to be fucking _soaked_ ," she whispered, "if you don't stop..."

"Guess you'd just have to take them off, then," he murmured, and rubbed his thumbnail deliberately against the raised tip of her nipple, and she gasped. "And then step one of my plan will be complete."

She released a slightly louder frustrated groan, gently shoving at his shoulder. "Ned Nickerson, I am _not_ going to meet your family for the first time as your fiancée with no underwear on," she hissed quietly, but the color was still high in her cheeks.

He sat back, holding his hands up. "Okay, okay," he said with a smile. "I'm sorry."

Nancy adjusted her dress, but he could still see that her nipples were hard through the thin fabric. She ran her fingers through her hair, then shifted in the seat.

Then she looked over at him. "Did you say we're renting a car when we get there?"

Ned nodded. "It's already there and waiting for us."

"Mmm. Okay."

The flight itself was easy, and Nancy was a more than competent co-pilot. Ned had made the trip enough times that the route was familiar, and he loved being at the controls again. The feeling of absolute freedom was incredible, even stronger than what he had felt when he received his first driver's license. For as long as his fuel held out, he could go where there were no roads; he could take her anywhere they could safely land, anywhere they wanted.

And he wanted her there. He wanted her beside him. The day was warm, and early in the flight she slipped out of the cardigan, leaving her tanned arms bare, the fine hairs bleached blonde, the engagement ring sparkling on her left hand.

They landed just after eleven o'clock that morning; the airport was only about twenty minutes from his grandparents' house, and the gathering was scheduled for noon. Together he and Nancy unloaded their luggage and put it in the rental car.

Nancy stopped him right after he slammed the trunk shut, her hand on his. "Ned?"

"Hmm? What's up?"

"Do we have a few minutes?"

He nodded. "Did you want to stop somewhere?"

She pressed her lips together, then nodded. "Maybe somewhere nice and a little secluded along the way...?" she murmured, then glanced at him through her lashes.

He gave her a grin. "I'll see what I can do. I thought someone had told me she didn't want her panties soaked..."

"Shut up," she replied with a smile. "Besides, I'll just put on some clean ones."

He found a road that looked promising on the way, pulled off and followed it down until it petered out, then turned the car around so they could easily leave once they were finished. He had barely put the car in park before she was scrambling into the backseat.

He had to chuckle. "Someone seems a little impatient," he told her, then opened his door. He had his fly open before he even joined her in the backseat.

"Shut up and get inside me," she said, stripping her panties off, and he could already smell how aroused she was when he knelt on the seat between her open legs.

Then he shook his head. "That gets cramped," he told her. "Here."

Ultimately they ended up with him sitting at the edge of the middle of the backseat, his shirt open and jeans and underwear pushed down below his naked thighs, with Nancy perched over him, her dress pulled up above her waist, her knees on either side of his hips. She sank down until she was fully sheathing him inside her, releasing a soft groan. "Ohhh," she moaned.

He couldn't help smiling. "I think, when a person needs sex every twelve hours," he commented, "it's called an addiction."

She leaned back so her back was propped up by the two front seats, holding her skirts up. "I'm not addicted to sex," she told him. "I'm addicted to _you_. I've been wet since you were fucking groping me in the backseat of that car. I was wet for you in the shower this morning. I've been dying for you to fuck me with that big, hard cock while you play with my clit, baby."

He grasped her hips, shifting his weight, and let out a long groan as he moved out of her, then drove back inside the tight slick heat of her sex. "God, I'm calling it now. First week of classes. You, me, a hot little skirt, and a vacant classroom at UC. _Fuck_ yes."

She tilted her head back as he drove into her again, then gasped loudly as he began to stroke her clit. "Oh _fuck_... mmmmm, that is so good..."

"So you lose our bet, huh."

"Guess so," she said, then brought her head up so she could look into his eyes as he thrust into her again.

"You want to try anal," he said. "Baby, it's all right. It's hot. Just say it. Anything you want to try, pretty much, I am totally game to try."

She arched as he drove into her again. "I want to try," she moaned quietly. "But when we're in Chicago."

He nodded. "In Chicago."

It was hard not to rip her dress off. It was hard not to at least rip the neckline of her dress down so he could suckle against her breast as he fucked her. He worked inside her and then she tilted forward, mounting him so she could control their thrusts, and then they were working against each other, moving in counterpoint, her breath hot against his neck, her nails against his shoulder blades.

Her cries became desperate, wanton, and her inner flesh clenched and pulsed around him. He stroked her clit, panting for breath as he rocked inside her, and she arched, letting out a high breathless scream as she reached her orgasm.

He ran his hand over her hair after she collapsed against him, panting. Slowly he leaned back against the backseat with her wrapped around him, and she pressed a kiss against his neck, still whimpering softly.

"I love you," she whispered. "Oh God..."

He kissed her neck, too. "I love you," he whispered, then kissed her collarbone. "I love you, baby. I love you so much."

He was amused, but not completely surprised, when she did in fact put on a fresh pair of underwear after they had cleaned themselves up, and sprayed herself with perfume, too. She checked her makeup and dress carefully as he continued to his grandparents' house, then glanced over at him. "Oh shit," she murmured, and he laughed when she used her thumb to wipe away a trace of lipstick she had left on his neck.

"Thanks, honey."

When they pulled up, the yard at his grandparents' house was lined by neatly parked cars and minivans. Ned looked at them without really seeing them, then again the way his fiancée probably was. Many were only a few years old at the most, sleek and expensive, loaded with car seats. A large white event tent had been put up in the backyard to take advantage of the nice weather, and when he parked the car and turned the engine off, he could already hear the squeals and shouts of his cousins' children as they ran around in the grass.

He turned to his fiancée with a smile. "All right, honey. Ready?"

She gave him a nervous smile. "Do I look okay?"

"Sweetheart, you look beautiful. And definitely not like I just fucked you in the backseat of the car."

She wrinkled her nose at him, but her eyes were sparkling. "Please, be serious," she begged him. "I want to make a good impression."

"And you will. I promise." He kissed her cheek. "You look great. I mean it."

He knew she was still nervous as they walked up to the house, but he held her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze as they walked to the kitchen entrance. She was carrying the potato salad, which still amused him a little.

"Ned! Nancy!" Grandma Nickerson greeted them with a wide smile, an apron tied around her waist. She was standing at the stove, but she wiped her hands and came over to them. "Oh, it's so good to see you both!"

She wrapped Ned in a hug, then beamed at Nancy, hugging her too. Ned took the bowl of potato salad out of her hands, and then felt Grandma Chandler taking it away from him.

"I brought her, just like you asked," Ned said teasingly. "And I'd like to introduce you both to the woman who has agreed to make me the happiest man in the world."

Grandma Chandler had just put the potato salad down, and she let out a loud shriek of happiness. "Oh, Nancy!"

Nancy blushed and held up her left hand, letting Ned's grandmothers examine her engagement ring. She glanced over at him, looking bashful, and he gave her a reassuring smile.

"When?" Grandma Nickerson asked, still smiling.

"Exactly a week ago," Nancy said softly. "Well, a week ago at sunset."

Grandma Chandler sighed with happiness. "Oh, that sounds very romantic. And clearly it worked. Congratulations, honey," she said, and hugged Nancy and Ned both. "Welcome to the family... although we've really considered you a member of the family since we met you, dear."

Grandma Nickerson nodded in agreement. "So how long do we have, to convince you two to have the wedding here?"

Nancy glanced up at Ned, her lips parted. "Oh! I..."

Ned shook his head. "I do love the idea, but it's too much," he told her. "I was thinking we'd be married in New York City, and have a reception there, but I would be very happy if you two might hold a wedding shower here?"

Ned's mother walked into the kitchen with a smile on her face. "I thought I saw you two pull up," she said.

"Edith! Look!" Grandma Chandler held up Nancy's hand so Ned's mother could see the ring.

She had seen the ring before; when Ned had decided that he wanted to propose to Nancy, he had talked to both his parents about it. His father had related the story of his proposal to Ned's mother, and Ned's mother had given her own blessing when she saw a photograph of the ring, and when he outlined generally what he was planning to do for the proposal. She had seen the ring when he had brought it over before the proposal, too.

Ned's mother gasped, coming over to look at the diamond and sapphire ring her future daughter-in-law wore. "Oh, it really is beautiful," she said. "I'm so glad you said yes... Ned was very worried about it."

Nancy cast another glance at him, and Ned ducked his head a little. "I just wanted everything to be perfect."

"And it was," Nancy said with a smile.

"Come on," Grandma Chandler said, taking her hand. "Come over here and tell us all about it."

Ned greeted his grandfathers, his father, and his cousins, but he couldn't help lingering close to the kitchen table where the four women had settled, listening to Nancy's account of the previous Saturday. She told them about the car that had come to her father's house to pick her up, and having to decipher a message telling her which plane she was to take; she told them about the coded messages telling her where to eat lunch and find the next clue, where to find the clothes she should wear, leading her step by step to the ferry, where Ned waited for her on the other side. His grandmothers both murmured appreciatively when she mentioned the quilt, the picnic, and the luminaries.

"And then he asked me if I would make him the happiest man in the world and take him as my husband, and I told him that I would."

Ned's cousin Anna had come into the kitchen in time to hear the last part of it, and she punched Ned lightly in the arm. "Sounds very romantic, Ned."

"Thanks, Annie."

Annie shook her head. "And that looks like a serious rock on her finger."

"I bet if you ask her nicely, she might even let you look at it."

Annie smirked at him, then sighed. "Let me go see what trouble Blake has undoubtedly gotten into by now."

Once all the food had been taken outside and placed on long tables, all the long dining tables set up and chairs counted, toddlers wrangled, and pitchers of lemonade and juice brought out too, Ned's Grandpa Nickerson called for silence, which descended relatively quickly over the gathered crowd.

"Before we say a blessing over our meal and all the family gathered here, Ned has an announcement to make."

Faces in the crowd turned toward him and Nancy, who were standing beside his grandparents, and Ned looked out at his aunts and uncles, his cousins and their children. He had grown up with them, spending time with them over summers and winter breaks, and many of them suspected, even if they didn't know, what he had done to make sure this house was kept in the family. He loved them all.

Ned laced his fingers between Nancy's as he announced, "I've asked my girlfriend to marry me, and she's said yes. We've only just started planning, but we're looking at having a May wedding, and you'll all be invited."

As the crowd began to cheer and clap in congratulations, Ned turned and gave Nancy a kiss on the cheek, noting the self-conscious expression on her face. Even so, she seemed happy at the crowd's reaction.

"Thank you," he called, and Nancy gave them a little wave and a smile. Then they moved to their designated chairs at one of the long tables.

Just as Ned had told her, they had an incredible amount of food, everything from buckets of fried chicken and biscuits to large heavy casseroles, carved hams and turkey, salads and vegetables, delicate airy confections, cheese cubes and sweet pickles. While they were in line to serve their plates and once they returned to their seats, Ned's relatives were congratulating them; two of Ned's cousins were pregnant, and many of them also had toddlers and small children in tow. One small girl with wispy blonde hair in ponytails told Nancy that her dress was very pretty, then hid her face in her mother's skirt. Ned's male relatives clapped him on the back and said that she would definitely make a very pretty addition to the family.

They began clearing away the main dishes to spread the desserts and Nancy rushed to help; he saw the way his grandmothers and aunts and mother were treating her, smiling at her and giving her little hugs, and he hoped she saw what he did. They did love her. She had nothing to worry about.

Many of the children had eaten quickly and rushed out into the yard beyond the tent, running around with soccer balls, beach balls, even a basketball. Some of the girls spread the skirts of their pretty summer dresses around them as they sat down on a quilt to play with dolls. The adults observed, sluggish from overeating and the warmth of the day, making sure they stayed safe. Since they were set far back from the road, as long as the children stayed in view, they were fine.

He couldn't help imagining it. In a few years, maybe, he and Nancy might attend the summer family gathering with a baby of their own.

Nancy's hand touched his, and when he glanced over at her, she laced her fingers through his. "Penny for your thoughts," she said softly.

He smiled at her. "Just thinking about how I could get my beautiful fiancée alone for a few hours," he told her.

She smiled back, but shook her head. "I don't think so."

"Okay, detective," he said, and leaned forward to brush the tip of his nose against hers, "what was I thinking about?"

"Children," she said. "You really love your family."

He nodded. "I do," he said.

"And I bet you know all their names."

Ned nodded again. "That little boy with the curly brown hair is Aaron. His parents are Brett and Miranda. She had him just about eight months after they were married, but we don't talk about it." He winked at Nancy. "They'd been together five years before that, so it was okay. The little girl with the red hair, her name's Lily. Mason and Lindsey adopted her when she was just a baby. Mom told me a few weeks ago that they're in the process of adopting a pair of twins, too.

"And Chloe..." He nodded at the little girl who was clutching each chain on the swing, her green eyes bright. Her blonde hair was fluttering.

"She's special to you," Nancy said quietly.

Ned looked down at Nancy's hand, joined to his. "When she was born, she had a congenital heart defect that the doctors hadn't detected, and they didn't think she was going to live. Her parents, John and Stephanie, took her to so many doctors, had tests run... they were desperate. It was terrible."

"And you helped," Nancy said, her voice still soft, and Ned glanced up at her. She was smiling. "It's what you do."

He gave her a small smile. "I contacted a specialist and paid for the surgery. I just... she's my family. And she was so pitiful, just so small... but she's doing great now."

"She is," Nancy said, and gave his hand a squeeze. "And those two older boys over there?"

"Yeah, Tony and Eric. They're Gabby's kids. Gabby is Miranda's sister. Her husband left her a few years ago and she went through a really bad time, so we just kind of adopted her, and now she comes to all the family stuff."

Nancy shook her head. "Your family... it's just so big and open and welcoming. It's so different from mine. I mean, it's not that we aren't... welcoming? It's just, well, it's basically been me and my dad and my aunt for so long, and I didn't see Aunt Eloise all the time, and Lady Douglas is great but she lives in Scotland. I have a few other cousins, but..." She shrugged.

"Well, you're a Nickerson now," he told her. "You're still a Drew, too, but you're a member of my family now." He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles.

She blushed prettily. "Not officially, though, not yet," she pointed out.

Ned shrugged. "No," he said. "You are. When we're legally married, it won't make you any more a part of my family. Trust me."

She smiled again, looking down, then up at the swingset.

"Uncle Ned!"

Chloe was toddling toward him, a big grin on her face, and she practically collapsed into his arms. Ned laughed and wrapped her in a big hug. "Hey Chloe."

"I missed you."

"And I missed you too, sweetie." He smoothed her mussed hair. "Would you like to meet the woman I'm going to marry?"

Chloe pouted a little. "Get married? No! S'posed to marry me!"

"Well, you are the prettiest little girl I know," he told her. "Do you and your mommy and daddy want to come to New York and see my wedding?"

Chloe tilted her head. "Will it be very pretty? Is it tomorrow?"

Nancy laughed. "Not tomorrow."

Chloe turned to look at her. "Her?" she whispered to Ned, her green eyes wide.

"Mmm-hmm. This is Nancy. She's going to be my wife."

Chloe studied her. "Your dress is pretty," she said solemnly.

Nancy smiled. "Your dress is really pretty, too."

Chloe grinned. "You're gonna marry Uncle Ned?" she asked, turning serious again.

Nancy nodded. "I am. Next summer. And I don't know if..." She glanced over at Ned. "Maybe if your mom and dad say it's okay, you could be my flower girl?"

Chloe's eyes widened again, and she stared at Nancy, agape. "Flower girl?"

Nancy nodded. "You would wear a pretty dress and flowers in your hair, and you'd carry a little basket and put rose petals down in the church. It's a very important job."

Ned took his cue from Nancy and nodded. "And it would mean a lot to both of us. We would be very happy if you would do that for us, Chloe."

Chloe clapped and let out a delighted squeal. "Oh! Oh, let me go ask Mommy!"

She climbed to her feet and ran back toward her parents, who were still watching her. Nancy took a breath. "Was I—was that okay?"

"It was perfect," he told her. "Nan, I want us to have the perfect wedding day. Anything you want, I want. And it means a lot that you'd ask my family to be involved."

She smiled. "Well, they're my family too," she murmured, and chuckled when he kissed her cheek.


	3. Chapter 3

The third Tuesday of fall semester, Nancy was already feeling exhausted. It didn't help that Ned had departed for a trip to China the Sunday before, and they had slept apart for the first time since she had moved into his apartment. _Their_ apartment. It was hard to think of it as their apartment; for so long it had just been _his_.

She loved sleeping beside him. She loved sleeping with him, but beside him was good.

When Nancy had first begun moving her belongings into the apartment—the ones she would have brought with her to a dorm room on campus, anyway—Ned had prepared one of the guest bedrooms for her to use as a sort of home office. He had installed a desk, bookshelves, a mini-fridge. Nancy had laughed when she had seen it, but she had appreciated it; it was a place for her to keep her books and school supplies, where she could spread out to study and work on papers and have peace and quiet if she needed it. Just as she had in every other dorm room, Nancy had brought along Togo and Mr. Buttons. Togo, a stuffed Scottie, had been a Christmas present from Lady Douglas when Nancy had been a toddler; at one time he had sported a little tartan bow-tie, but that had been a long time ago, when he had been new. He had been her constant companion for a childhood year, and his much-loved appearance reflected that. Mr. Buttons was a stuffed teddy bear who had been easily half Nancy's size when she was three years old, when she had been grieving her mother's death, afraid and sad and lonely. Her father had given her the bear in an attempt to cheer her up, and as a little girl Nancy had cried herself to sleep many times while holding Mr. Buttons. His dark bead eyes seemed sympathetic, and even though she was twenty-one years old, hugging Mr. Buttons and burying her face in his fur had made her feel a little better when she had been sleeping alone in her fiancé's bed.

Her fiancé. Nancy looked down at the beautiful diamond on her left hand and smiled. Sometimes she still couldn't quite believe it.

Bess sighed. "Honey, trust me, I _know_ ," she said, looking at the ring too. "Can we just finish the flash cards?"

The three girls had met for dinner at a pizza place near campus, then walked to the library in the waning heat. Louis was traveling with Ned, and while Nancy knew they could technically have studied in the apartment, the atmosphere there was different without Ned. Nancy had already told Bess and George that they were welcome to stay with her on Friday night; Ned wouldn't be returning until midday on Saturday, and that way they could get in a little girl-bonding time.

"Sure. Sorry. I'm sorry."

George raised her iced coffee and took a long sip through the green straw, idly flicking through her own notebook. "I don't remember Delaine testing so early last semester," she sighed. Then she looked up. "It still doesn't feel quite real, that we'll be graduating in less than a year."

Bess let out a happy squeal, muffling herself a little. The library's main room, full of long tables and reference books, was almost completely occupied. Clusters of students quizzed each other and laughed; other individual students stared at their laptops or tablets or notebooks, white earbud cords snaking down over their collars or fist-sized headphone earpieces in candy colors perched over their ears.

"You sent in that application for the internship last week, right?"

George nodded, popping a couple of almonds into her mouth before replying. "There's a lot of competition, though. I'm thinking about looking into a few more places."

Bess groaned. "And all of the places _I'm_ looking at want experience," she sighed. "But the only way to _get_ experience is to work for one. Which leaves me with a damn unpaid internship—and how am I supposed to live off that?"

Nancy found herself unconsciously clenching her left fist. Thanks to the safety net Ned had offered her, she wouldn't need to worry about that. It made her feel guilty, and like she was cheating the system, somehow—and she knew that, if she asked him not to back her financially, he would only help her in planning. Even his expertise was incredibly valuable, though. She knew she was insanely lucky to have him.

"Oh, _I'm_ sorry. From the way you were wrapped around Becker at that party..." George raised an eyebrow, lifting her drink again.

Bess picked up the perforated edge torn from a sheet of notebook paper, balled it up, and threw it at her cousin. "He's a sweetheart," Bess said defensively.

"Who's wrapped around your little finger," George retorted.

"You're one to talk. Still stringing Fare along?"

Nancy raised both hands, looking back and forth between the cousins. "I remember something about flash cards?" she said. "Look, we can talk about this Friday night. But let's go ahead and get through the study session."

George wrinkled her nose. "What if, the first day I'm in the classroom, I totally choke?" she mumbled.

After Nancy and Bess reassured George and the three of them finished their study session, they went to a convenience store on campus that sold locally-produced ice cream. George cheered up after a few bites of blueberry frozen yogurt, and they waited outside the store in the moonlight for the car service to pick them up. Since Ned was out of town, but he still had the service on retainer, he had told Nancy she was welcome to use it whenever she wanted. Bess and George were more than happy to join her, so they could catch a ride back to their own place.

Once she was alone in the backseat, having scraped up the last bite of her mint chocolate chip ice cream, Nancy sighed. She had been in the backseat of cars like this so many times with Ned, and he had taken every opportunity to kiss her neck, to touch her. God, she missed him. She pulled out her phone, doing some mental calculations. Shanghai was fourteen hours ahead of Chicago, so he was probably at lunch... but she didn't want to disturb him if he was in a meeting. He had called her five hours earlier, just to check in with her and tell her that he loved her.

She loved him. God, how she loved him.

The car was parked at the curb in front of Ned's apartment house— _their_ apartment house, she corrected herself—and Nancy saw a few shadows near the front entrance, but they didn't quite register immediately. "Thanks, Mark," she called, opening her door.

"Have a good night, Miss Drew."

As soon as Nancy was standing on the sidewalk, the shadows moved, resolving into a small, jostling group of people, their faces turned toward her, eyes gleaming. Nancy saw the glaring lights from camera phones, small microcassette players and handheld camcorders jutting toward her in grasping hands.

"Do you have a statement about the tape, Nancy?"

"Your fiancé was caught on tape with an underage girl. Do you want to respond?"

"How does that make you feel?"

"Is the wedding still on?"

Nancy blinked, too shocked to respond, unable to trust what she had just heard. "No—no comment," she stammered, and when she felt a hand close around her wrist, she almost jerked her hand away.

"Get out of here! Go on, you vultures," Antonio shouted. "I told you to get out of here."

Antonio, the doorman, rushed her up the stairs into the apartment house's lobby; another doorman made sure that none of the paparazzi followed her inside. Antonio called the elevator car that would take her up to the apartment she and Ned shared, and Nancy was staring at the polished brass of the elevator's frame, her fingertips trembling. The waxed paper cup that had held her ice cream, plastic spoon inside, was still clutched in her frozen hand.

_Underage. On tape._

Her throat felt thick. She couldn't breathe.

"Here, Miss Drew," Antonio said, as the elevator reached the lobby. "Go on. We'll make sure none of them get in. It's all right." He gave her a reassuring smile.

Nancy forced herself to give him a little nod and walk into the elevator, step by deliberate step. She could feel the heat in her cheeks. She looked at the toes of her shoes and couldn't look away.

_On tape. Underage._

She couldn't feel anything, just a distant incoherent roaring. She was afraid of what would happen when she did feel something.

No one was waiting for her in the hallway outside the apartment, and she was infinitely grateful for that. Apparently none of them had snuck past Antonio. She keyed into the apartment and found it dark, just the way she had left it. No surprises greeted her when she flipped on the lights. Ned wasn't there.

She had missed him so much. She still did. But she didn't know what to do, what to think. Whenever she considered the accusation, she shuddered a little.

Ned had done crazy things. She knew that. He had been forthcoming about all of them, she thought. She hoped. But if he had had sex with someone who was underage... and on _tape_...

She was so engrossed in thought, feeling so miserable, that when her phone rang she actually shrieked a little, jumping. She didn't want to talk to anyone. When she looked down at her phone, she saw Bess's name on the caller ID.

Bess knew. Nancy knew it. Nancy's flush deepened, and she forced herself to walk over to the couch, her steps heavy and slow.

The call clicked over to voicemail. Bess waited a moment, then began to call again. Nancy had a bad feeling that if she didn't answer, the next summons would be a knock at the apartment's front door.

"Hello?"

"Ohmigod. Nan? _Shit_. I was hoping you hadn't heard yet. Are you okay?"

Nancy opened her mouth, but no sound emerged. She didn't know what the hell to say. "Hadn't heard what?" she asked, hoping that Bess wouldn't say it, and to her own ears she sounded a little hysterical.

"Oh shit. I'm coming over there."

"Okay," Nancy said, her voice faint. Bess muttered another curse, repeating that she would be there as soon as she could, then hung up.

She put the phone down on the couch. The same couch where she had been with Ned—

She bolted to her feet and barely made it to the kitchen before she threw up. Her heart was aching, and she was unsurprised to feel tears rising in her eyes. She hated throwing up. She felt sick and heartbroken and betrayed.

_No proof,_ she reminded herself. Then she wondered if Bess had somehow found a copy of the video, that it was already in circulation, and she felt her gorge rise again.

By the time Bess knocked at the apartment door, Nancy had cleaned herself up, had cleaned up the floor and the sink, and she sat at the edge of the couch, staring at the blank, silent television set. Her steps were slow as she crossed to the door to open it, and Bess almost tumbled into Nancy's arms.

"Nan! Ohmigod."

Bess wrapped her in a hug, and Nancy closed her eyes as she returned it. "Hey," Nancy said, her voice weak. "Did you see them?"

"Who?"

"The paparazzi. Out front."

"Oh! No, I parked in the garage, in the guest space. Holy shit. Seriously?"

"Yeah." Nancy sniffled, then pulled back. "So how did you find out?"

"Uh, saved search on Ned's name, remember?" Bess shook her head. "This thing is blowing up the gossip sites."

"What is?" Nancy sniffled again, then went to the kitchen for a tissue. "I, uh... haven't searched it."

Bess took a deep breath, and she and Nancy sat down on the couch. "So everything I saw said 'alleged' and 'apparently,' but... it involves a sex tape. That someone's holding out to sell to the highest bidder. Which apparently shows Ned and an underage participant."

Nancy pinched the bridge of her nose. "Fucking her?" she murmured.

"I... don't know."

"Recently?" Nancy's voice was even quieter.

Bess made a noise. "Oh, honey. I'm sure it's not recently. I'm sure it's not."

"But..." Nancy forced herself to focus; it was incredibly hard. "If someone's shopping it around, it's someone who held onto it. Or bought it off someone. Someone who wants to get back at Ned for something."

Bess raised an eyebrow, then reached for Nancy's hand, lifting it a few inches. "Uh, like this isn't the best motive?" she said, nodding at the rock on Nancy's finger. "All those bitchy, catty ex-girlfriends who thought they had a shot at this?"

"Mmm," Nancy murmured. A week earlier, Ned had confirmed their engagement to a paparazzo who had shouted at them on the sidewalk. Now everyone knew. Sienna was busy searching for the perfect wedding dress; a high-priced, very much in-demand wedding coordinator was already hard at work making sure their ceremony and reception would be incredible, an event to remember. No expense would be spared—and with Ned, Nancy knew that wasn't an idle phrase. Their wedding would be perfect.

At the thought, Nancy felt her throat closing up again. If everything she believed about him had been a lie, if he could betray her like this... Nancy didn't know what she would do. She just couldn't believe it. She _wouldn't_.

All those business meetings. Those weeks and weekends apart, even the nights she could have stayed with him at his apartment...

Nancy gave her head a sharp shake. It was a puzzle for her to work out; it was a case to solve. But, more than anything, she wanted to hear Ned's reassurance and not doubt it. She wanted to believe that he would never do anything like this to her, not in a hundred years, not in a million.

"So," Bess said, and Nancy looked over at her, unable to even force a weak smile. Bess wrapped an arm around her shoulders, giving her another hug. "Oh, honey, I'm so sorry."

Nancy sniffled again. "I just can't believe it," she whispered. "I can't."

"Then don't," Bess said. "Let's come up with a suspect list."

Nancy did feel a little better once they had done that. She put Cassandra at the top, just because Cassandra had seemed so catty and bitter when Nancy had seen her. Bess added Belinda Morrison to the list, and from there they made a list of all the girls whose names had been linked with Ned's, who might have seen themselves as the future Mrs. Ned Nickerson. It was a long list, and Nancy had known it would be. But she didn't know about all the one-night stands, the hookups at parties, and for all she knew that would double or triple the list of suspects.

Just thinking about it made Nancy feel sick again. During her cases, through friends, she had come to know and sympathize with young women who had been victimized, and the thought that Ned had been responsible for that kind of act—but he couldn't; oh, he just couldn't be. She could never bear it.

Bess pressed her lips together as they looked down at the list. "Hmm."

"Yeah," Nancy sighed. It was too much to tackle easily, or to resolve tonight. "And this isn't even a full list."

"If I can borrow your laptop, I might be able to narrow things down a little..."

Nancy gave her a tired smile. "Maybe... maybe it's all some big misunderstanding. Maybe it's not him..." Her heart lifted a little at that thought, but she knew it was a desperate hope to which she clung.

"Wouldn't you rather know tonight, though?"

Nancy looked down. "I'd rather know... maybe."

Bess patted her knee. "Look, I'll head back to my dorm and if I find out anything, I'll call and let you know. But you look like you really need some rest, honey. Or maybe to call Ned?"

Nancy's stomach turned at the thought—not when she imagined speaking to him, but when she imagined trying to even broach the topic. She desperately wanted to call him, but she didn't know what to say, or what she even could. She couldn't even imagine the conversation she and Ned would need to have.

God, how her heart ached. She just didn't know what to do, and that feeling was entirely unwelcome.

Nancy wished Bess a good night and made sure the door was locked behind her, then walked to the master bedroom. As soon as she walked over the threshold and into the room, she brought her gaze up and looked at the bed. She was arrested there, staring beyond it.

It had been too perfect, too incredible. She had found a man who had seemed so unbelievably amazing, and maybe it really was unbelievable. She had wanted to believe things would be different.

Nancy shook her head. _It's not true. It just can't be true._

_And if it is?_ a small voice asked in her head. _If he did this?_

_Then I don't know him at all,_ she thought. _He's not the man I love, if he could rape someone. But he wouldn't. Ned would never do that. He just wouldn't._

And if he wouldn't, then the tape couldn't be real. The allegation couldn't be true.

Nancy took a long, slow breath, her hand against her chest. She felt shaky, and until she had spoken to Ned and heard the story from him, she wouldn't know for sure. But she just couldn't reconcile the man she loved, whose bed she shared, who had taken her virginity, with the kind of man who would do that.

She went to the bathroom to brush her teeth and change for bed, then walked back into the bedroom. He had always been so sweet and gentle and patient with her. He just wasn't that kind of person. He had rented the apartment to be near her... Imagining him as a predator, the kind of man she would have investigated and tried to bring to justice...

Well, she had investigated Ned once—but that had been different. From the beginning, she had never truly been able to make herself believe he was a viable suspect in Kate Gordon's death. Now that she had known him for so long, now that they had pledged their lives to each other, imagining that he could be a rapist was even harder.

She looked at Mr. Buttons and Togo, and made sure her cell phone was plugged in to charge before she turned off the lights and crossed to the bed. She took a deep breath before she slid between the sheets.

He had made love to her in this bed on Sunday morning, before he had left. She had felt him inside her, but just like every time, he had made sure she was all right. He had asked if she was okay; he had looked into her eyes while they made love, and she had felt such love for him in return. It had been incredible. The story just couldn't be true. It couldn't. And if it wasn't, it was a lie, it was fabricated, and the person responsible won if Nancy was sick with anxiety and doubt.

Nancy had buried her face against Mr. Buttons's fur and was trying to relax when her phone began to ring. She turned and picked it up to check the screen, and before the name on the caller ID had even registered, she was swiping the screen to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Nan. Sweetheart. Were you awake?"

"Yeah." Nancy's heart was in her throat. She didn't know what to say.

Apparently neither did Ned. He was quiet for a moment, and then he cleared his throat. "So my lawyer just called me," he said. "Apparently someone's trying to pretend there's a tape out there of me breaking the law."

"I heard," Nancy replied. Her voice was trembling faintly. "When the paparazzi shouted the news to me in front of the apartment house about an hour ago."

"Shit," Ned breathed. "Oh God, Nan, I am so sorry. Those _assholes_."

"They said... there was a tape of you with someone underage."

"And there _isn't_ ," Ned said, his voice firm where hers had been soft. "Baby, I swear to you, there isn't. Maybe it's someone who looks like me, but it's not me."

The certainty in his voice made her close her eyes as she rolled onto her back, some of the tension draining away. Her stomach was still tight, but the knot in it had loosened a little. "You're... you know that for sure."

"Nan, the only times I was ever with anyone underage—I was underage _myself_. And that... no. There wouldn't be any tapes. It wasn't like that."

"But there are tapes out there, of you."

"Yeah. Leaked videos. I... I'm not proud of them, but they were before I met you. All with consenting adults. Maybe a little drunk, but that's all."

"I know," she murmured. "I understand. I'm not blaming you." She felt a little lightheaded. He sounded so sincere, and she couldn't believe he would lie to her about this. "It was just a shock."

"And I'm sure whoever leaked that bullshit story wanted exactly that—and my lawyer says that I definitely have a defamation suit in this."

"Slander," she murmured. "You have a suit, sure, but the person responsible for leaking the story might claim that she—or he—released it in good faith."

Ned snorted. "Anyone who decided to leak _that_ story definitely wasn't acting in good faith," he said. "And I can already name a few people who might be prime candidates."

"Bess and I... kind of made a suspect list. But you're welcome to help."

Ned chuckled softly, but she heard little humor in it. "Nan, honey... I hate that this happened. I hate that it happened to you, and when I wasn't there. I miss you so much."

"I miss you too," she sighed. "Oh, Ned..."

"Talk to me," he replied, and his voice was quiet. "Please."

She felt tears aching in her throat, but she couldn't say it. "It makes me sick that someone would—would lie about you like this," she choked out. "And I know that it's a lot easier to fake this kind of thing now..."

"It is," Ned agreed. "Oh, Nan, when I found out... I wanted to get on the next flight back to Chicago and talk to you before you ever found out. I was so afraid... I was angry, but that was nothing compared to how afraid I was about how you would react."

Nancy sniffled. "I think that bitch Cassandra is responsible," she said, her voice wavering a little from her tears. "She made some snotty comment when we were at the Red and Black Ball, about how you'd get tired of me and you just weren't the kind of guy who would ever get married."

"Oh, did she."

Ned's voice had been tense with emotion throughout their conversation. Now it was flat, almost cold with rage, and Nancy shivered. "She even said that I shouldn't think I had my claws into you. I guess that's what she had tried."

"I wouldn't have said that at the time..." Ned released a growl of anger. "I'll talk to some people, see what I can find out. But it's more important to me that I know you're okay. Are you okay?"

"I'm okay," she said quietly. "It... it was just a shock, and—I didn't want to be the one to bring it up. I mean, how the hell..." She sighed.

"Picking up the phone to call you, if I'd let myself wait a minute longer... I think it would have been the hardest call I've ever had to make." He sighed, too. "Other than to my parents, if this gets that far."

Nancy groaned. "Oh. Oh no."

"Yeah," Ned said, his voice grim. "So believe me, once I find out who's responsible for this, that person will know how deeply unhappy I am about this."

"Can I be next in line?"

He chuckled softly. "I'm so relieved that you're okay," he admitted. "I know you have to be upset, and I don't blame you. I try not to regret much in my life, because it's pointless to... but letting any partner record us in the bedroom, that is at the top of the list."

Nancy's stomach clenched when he said that, and she didn't know what to say. She saw no point in chastising him about the past, or making him feel any worse than he already did. But, for her, it was one thing to know that Ned had had many partners before her. Knowing that concrete evidence of those—occasionally temporary—relationships was out there in the world for anyone who cared to see it, was worse.

But not _the_ worst. At least his partners had been consenting adults. Maybe consenting adults with questionable judgement, but adults.

"I'm sorry," he said again. "I would have done anything to prevent you from going through this."

She forced a weak smile. "It's not your fault," she said softly.

"But it is—"

"No," she said. "No. You weren't the one who chose to release a tape that was meant to embarrass you and damage your reputation, or a story about a fake tape. The guy I love isn't like that. He wouldn't do that."

"I wouldn't," he agreed. "So you still love me?"

Nancy blinked, and a tear slid down her cheek. His voice was tentative. So often his voice was smooth and assured. "With all my heart," she whispered. "We've both made decisions we wish we hadn't. But the person you were when I met you last June doesn't matter to me nearly so much as the person you are now, the man who asked me to spend the rest of my life with him, the man I love more than anyone else in this world. You're a good man, Ned Nickerson."

"And I love you more than I could ever say," he replied. "You're so incredibly precious to me, and when I'm back in Chicago, I'll do anything I can to show you. I would never have forgiven myself if you had been angry with me..."

"But I'd never hate you for a lie," she told him. "Innocent until proven guilty. Whoever's trying to sell this tape has to know that whatever's on it _can't_ prove you guilty, so in a few weeks, this will all blow over."

"God, I hope you're right," he said. "After I sue the shit out of whoever is trying to do this. I know it has to be late there... I'll let you go. And, Nan... I am so unbelievably thankful that I have you in my life. Never forget that."

She smiled again. "And I love you so much," she replied. "So finish up your business in Shanghai and come home to me."

\--

Attending her first class on Wednesday morning normally wasn't stressful, but before Nancy walked into the classroom, backpack seated on her shoulders, she switched her cell phone from audible to silent—and the sunlight caught on the diamonds in her engagement ring.

She hadn't considered taking it off; she hadn't taken it off since she had accepted Ned's proposal. Many of her fellow students knew about her engagement, and Nancy knew it would be naive to think that they wouldn't also know about the allegations. 

She bit the inside of her lip for an instant, squared her shoulders, and walked into the classroom with her chin up. If anyone dared to say anything to her... well, she would shut that person down.

She was mostly gratified to see that no one was staring at her or smirking in her direction. When two girls in the back corner started giggling about something, though, Nancy tensed—then talked herself down. They probably weren't giggling about her. But she didn't know.

The lecture was long, and then the professor spent twenty minutes going over mistakes many of the class members had made while writing their most recent essays. At the end of it Nancy was almost vibrating with impatience; she wanted to get to the dining hall, so she could see Bess and George.

God. The sooner they figured out who was behind the "tape" and its release, the better. Nancy was impatient to put it behind her, and now that Ned had assured her it was a complete fabrication, she was angry, too.

George was just checking her cell phone when Nancy walked up to her friend. When George glanced up at her, her dark eyebrows went up, too. "Hey Nan."

"Hey. Bess told you," Nancy said, and it wasn't a question.

"Yeah. Boy, that's a sick joke. She said you were pretty upset about it."

"I was, but I talked to Ned and now I'm ready to take whoever's behind it down."

George grinned. "Atta girl."

Bess was puffing a little as she walked up to George and Nancy. "Hey! Ooh, hang on, I have a cramp..."

George shook her head. "I told you, thirty minutes of exercise a day would do you _wonders_."

Bess flipped her off. "Like I don't get that walking back and forth to class," she said, clutching her pained side with her other hand.

"Thirty minutes _all at the same time._ "

"Ugh." Bess shook her head. "We have _infinitely_ more important things to talk about. Look, I checked my phone... let's get some lunch and I'll read it to you. Nan, anything new?"

"Yeah, I talked to Ned last night—"

"And she's ready to kick some ass," George interjected with a grin. "Well, specifically not Nickerson ass, so there's that."

The three of them sat down with their trays at the edge of the dining room; many students were eating outside, but indoors Nancy felt they were less likely to be overheard. She shook her carton of milk, then opened and poured it into her bowl of cereal. That morning, Nancy had slept past her alarm, and she had barely had time to shower and dress, much less to eat anything for breakfast. "Ned says there's no way the tape is real," she told Bess and George in a low voice. "He was never—in that situation, so it can't be real."

George looked down at her tofu and fresh-fruit-topped salad. "I know he was pretty wild before he met you, and I hate to admit this, but I'm inclined to believe him. Mostly because I'd feel like a total idiot if all three of us were taken in by him for so long. He just doesn't seem to be that kind of guy."

"He doesn't," Nancy agreed. "He wouldn't do something like that."

Bess held a grilled chicken Caesar wrap in one hand while she scrolled through something on her phone's screen with the other. "Okay, found it again. Blah, blah... 'What we know so far is that the as-yet unidentified female apparently isn't the party attempting to sell the tape, nor is she pressing charges...' 'Nickerson's representative has given the blanket "My client is unaware of and denies the existence of any such tape, and anyone purporting to have such a tape is engaged in a vicious and malicious smear campaign"'...' 'Nickerson's fiancée, a University of Chicago student nearly ten years his junior...'"

Nancy had just managed to swallow a spoonful of cereal, and made an abbreviated outraged gasp. "I am _not_ 'nearly ten years' younger," she sputtered. "God, that just sounds..."

George chuckled. " _That's_ what you're getting upset about?"

"What? It sounds so—so—ugh."

"Trophy-wife," George suggested.

" _Anyway_ ," Bess interrupted. "They just say that you haven't given a statement—but clearly you are heartbroken and devastated by the allegations. According to the article."

Nancy shook her head with a growl. "If Ned were here... I'd ask him to hold a press conference tonight, just so I could show them how _pissed_ I am. Devastated, my ass."

"Living well _is_ the best revenge," Bess said thoughtfully, before turning off her phone's display and taking another bite of her wrap.

"So Bess said you came up with some suspects?" George prompted Nancy before swiping a sweet potato fry from her cousin's plate. Bess batted her hand away, making outraged sounds.

Bess and George knew her so well, and after their lunch meeting, Nancy felt better. Fall break was coming up soon, and the cousins had all but demanded a trip to New York to narrow down the suspect list and teach the culprit a thing or two. Nancy hadn't forgotten what Bess had let slip, either. Maury spent time in Los Angeles and New York, and it would be easier for Bess to arrange a trip to see him in the latter. If Clark Faraday had come along, all the better.

Between the two of them, Nancy realized, Bess was more likely to have a sex tape out there than Maury was—but Bess wasn't that much of an exhibitionist, and even if some risqué photos or video of her leaked, it wouldn't have nearly the same notoriety as something similar starring Maury Becker.

Nancy looked down at her engagement ring again. She had no illusions about the man Ned had been before their initial meeting, or at least she hoped she didn't. He was a generous, caring, incredible man, and Nancy counted herself lucky to be his future wife. She couldn't imagine someone being angry enough at him to fabricate this kind of story, but apparently someone was.

That night, Nancy stood at the stove in the apartment's kitchen. She had been a little wary of using the gas stove, but had done so under Louis's careful supervision and she was pretty sure she wouldn't blow the apartment up. She tested the cast-iron pan with a few drops of water and watched them sizzle and dance across the surface; she knew that Louis would undoubtedly cringe if he saw her using instant pancake mix, but it was quick and cheap, and she was hungry.

Her phone rang. Nancy picked it up and sandwiched it between her cheek and shoulder before stirring the pancake batter again. "Hello?"

"Nan. Are you okay?"

"Yeah," she replied, surprised by Ned's tone. She had thought they were on the same page, united in their indignant anger. He sounded subdued. "Is something wrong?"

"Kind of, a little. Can I talk to you? Are you busy?"

"Hang on," Nancy said, and turned off the eye, making sure the flame was out and the gas turned off before she went to the living area and sat down on the couch. "No, I was about to make dinner, but I can wait. What's wrong?"

He sighed heavily, and Nancy could almost hear him running his fingers anxiously through his hair. "My defense attorney in New York called me. He talked to someone who viewed the tape. The—I'm in it."

Nancy's breath caught; she bowed her head. "What? I don't understand."

"That's the bad news." Then he released a bitter chuckle. "Although I suppose there really isn't any good news. The girl—woman in the tape would have been nineteen or twenty at the time."

"How old were you?" Nancy said, her voice quiet.

"I would've been twenty-four, according to the date stamp."

Nancy digested that quietly. She didn't sense he was lying about it, that she would find out later that the tape had been made after they had begun dating.

"The problem is that she's obviously intoxicated. As am I, in that tape."

Nancy closed her eyes, trying to concentrate. "Did this happen in New York?"

"Yeah, I'm sure it did."

She didn't know as much about criminal law in New York, but her father might—and Nancy almost released her own bitter chuckle, when she thought about that. "Drunk enough that she couldn't consent."

"No! No. I don't do that. I _don't_ , Nan."

"So the tape is real," Nancy said slowly, once she was able to speak again. "As far as you know, it's not doctored. It's not statutory rape, but it does show you having drunk sex with a woman who wasn't old enough to legally drink."

"Yes. As far as I know."

"Do you... remember, when it happened?"

"Vaguely. I remember that hotel room having a fully stocked bar and not keeping track of who was using it. I... well, I'd be happy if that tape were destroyed. I don't want to see it. I remember other... well, other people in the room, egging us on."

Nancy's stomach flipped, and she forced herself to take a long slow breath. "Oh," she murmured.

"Damn it," Ned growled. " _Damn it._ Nan, I am so sorry. I can't say it enough. I'm so sorry. I know you're probably mad at me right now, and I deserve it."

Nancy sniffled. "It's okay."

"No, it isn't. I love you, and I want you to be happy to me with me, not ashamed to be seen with me. I know you're not at all thrilled about this."

Hearing him apologize the way he was, and knowing that if they had an argument, she wouldn't be able to see him until Saturday—unless he was already on his way back. She didn't want to argue with him. He already sounded desperate, and like he had beat himself up more thoroughly than she would have.

"Okay, I'm not thrilled," she told him, and her voice was shaking a little. She pushed herself to her feet and began pacing. "I know... I knew about your history, and it didn't bother me. Really, it didn't." She bit her lip. "But now it feels like there are things about you I _didn't_ know... and honestly, this isn't going to kill us. If the—" She swallowed hard. "If the woman with you on the tape isn't pressing charges or alleging that she was unable to consent to having sex with you, then the real question is who provided the alcohol to her. But that's a big _if_."

"I know. That's what my attorney said." He sighed. "It's just an enormous mess."

"And you promised me it was a lie," she murmured. "I guess it was only technically true. She _was_ underage—just not underage for sex."

"Yeah." Ned sighed again. "I... I've done my best to be honest with you, sweetheart. I will answer any question you ask of me. I didn't mean for this to be a nasty surprise."

She chewed on her lip, looking at the television without seeing it. She winced when she chewed enough to make her lip sore. "I know you didn't."

"I wish I was there right now, with you. Actually, I wish we could just go to the L.A. apartment and hide out there until all this was over and my attorney had taken care of it."

She forced herself to sit down again. Her left hand was trembling. "That would be nice," she murmured.

Ned was quiet for a long moment. "How can I make this up to you?" he asked. "I'll do anything. I'll give you anything. I'm so sorry."

She shook her head, closing her eyes. "No," she said softly. "There's nothing. I'll be okay; I just need a little time."

He made a soft sound, clearly frustrated. She knew that if he were nearby, if he drew her into his arms and held her, she wouldn't be able to push him away, and she immediately longed for the comfort of his embrace. She was glad, though, that she had the space and time to be by herself for a little while. She couldn't think about him with any objectivity at all when they were together, and she was beginning to doubt that she could even when they were apart.

She didn't know what to think. She had been so indignant, so righteously angry on his behalf.

"I'm going to take a plane out tomorrow. My work here is almost done, anyway."

"Ned, it's okay. You don't have to come back early."

"Yeah, I do. I'm going to finish this. I'll go to New York and consult with my attorney, sue for defamation or anything else we can, and get it finished. The sooner it's finished, the sooner everything can go back to normal again. Nan, I love you. I love you so much."

"I love you, too." She closed her eyes again as she said it.

Once they had hung up, Nancy put the phone down beside her and willed the swirling chaos of her thoughts to slow, but she felt lost. With any luck, Ned would be able to wrap everything up after a day or two in New York and the story would just die a natural death soon after—but if he couldn't?

Her appetite had vanished, and as she began to pace around the room again, she imagined her father finding out about the tape. Or her aunt, or Lady Douglas. Even worse, the allegations had already been made, and the actual content of the tape probably wouldn't help dispel those rumors.

Bess texted her ten minutes later. _Just read an update. U ok?_

Nancy considered for a long moment before sending a reply. _If I order a pizza w/everything will you & George come over? Need to talk. :(_

Two hours later, a single slice of room-temperature pizza was left in the box, and Nancy was dipping her spoon into a pint of double-chocolate-chip cookie dough ice cream. Bess was toying with an Oreo, having already eaten her fill, and George was drinking water.

"Okay. Much as I hate to admit it, I can totally see that scenario," George admitted. "He's dating a chick, he takes her back to his hotel room, they raid the mini-bar and someone pulls out a camera phone or whatever the hell. I mean, back when you were underage, he didn't hesitate to let you drink."

Bess snorted. "Like that makes him a villain. Like we couldn't have visited any frat on campus last year and walked out of there drunker than hell."

"That's not the question," George retorted. "The question is whether _Ned_ did."

"And whether she could consent to what they were doing if she was drunk," Nancy added quietly. She had only managed to eat most of one slice of pizza and a spoonful of ice cream; her stomach churned whenever she thought about the whole mess. 

"Well, was he like that, with you?" Bess asked tentatively. "I mean, I'm sure you two fooled around when you were drinking..."

George shook her head. "Not the same thing," she pointed out. "He's in a long-term relationship with Nan. He might treat some girl he picked up in a bar differently. We don't know."

Nancy sighed. "Well, he says that he doesn't mess around with girls who are too drunk to actually agree," she reminded them.

"Does that match his behavior with you?" Bess asked. "I mean, if you're okay talking about it. It establishes a pattern, and all." She popped a cookie into her mouth and began crunching on it.

"Well, we've been drunk, but anytime we've—been together, he didn't coerce me."

"But I'm sure he didn't have to," George replied immediately.

"I just can't imagine him having to coerce anyone," Bess said, and shook her head. "Didn't he tell you that all he basically had to do was crook his finger at a girl? And I can totally believe that."

"I think Maury's heart would be broken if he could hear you right now," George said, and Bess threw a napkin at her.

"He didn't have to work for it, no." Nancy stirred her spoon through the melting ice cream. "But that still isn't the question. I... I know of one time that I was so drunk around Ned that I blacked out."

George raised an eyebrow. "Drunk, or...?" She wiggled her fingers in a doubtful gesture.

"No, I was drunk. _Really_ drunk. No one put anything in my drink, or anything like that. When I woke up in the morning, he had taken my dress off and tucked me into bed, and that was it."

"And how do you know?" George pointed out.

"Because I was a virgin when I went to sleep that night, and a virgin when I woke up," Nancy said evenly, although her cheeks were stained with red as she said it.

George sat back. "That would be a point in his favor. Although I'm sure that's not exactly evidence you want to give in court."

"No. Not at all."

Bess had pulled out her cell phone. "God. It'd be so much easier if we could just see this tape... but of course it hasn't leaked yet. I keep checking for it."

Nancy shook her head, digging a chunk of cookie dough out and lifting it to her mouth. "I don't want to see it," she said. "Whoever the guy is on that tape, he's not the guy I know. It would be like seeing a stranger." She sighed. "It didn't make sense to me that someone would make an allegation like that unless there was some truth behind it, because otherwise that person would risk a slander suit. God. I wish it all really _had_ been a lie."

Bess reached over and patted Nancy's hand. "The tape hasn't come out yet," she said. "And maybe it was a bluff, to see how he responded. Or to see how _you_ would respond."

"And I don't know how," Nancy replied. "Ned has told me a hundred times that he's sorry, that he would do anything to make it up to me, that he knows I'm disappointed in him."

"And are you?" George asked, stealing an Oreo.

Nancy shrugged, miserable. "How can I be mad at him when he's already so devastated at the thought of me being mad at him?"

"Uh, because he was how old when this happened?"

"Twenty-four," Nancy replied, her voice quiet.

"Right. _Twenty-four_. Not sixteen or seventeen or eighteen. _Twenty-four_." George swallowed her bite of cookie and reached for another. "I think you're allowed to be mad at him for that kind of lapse in judgement. I think you're allowed to be disappointed that his lifestyle put you in a situation where you couldn't just laugh off the idea that he actually _did_ have a sex tape out there that could get him in legal trouble."

" _But_ ," Bess put in, "I think he does deserve some credit. He didn't lie about it or try to minimize it."

"That we know of," George interrupted.

Bess glared at her, then tilted her head. "Anyway. He's been honest with you about who he was and what he did, and he hasn't been like that anymore. He seems genuinely upset. And assuming that what we know right now is true, yeah, he did screw up—but there's nothing he can do about it _now_. Who he is now is more important than who he was. Well, as long as herpes isn't involved."

Nancy started fumbling for something to throw at Bess, and the other girl ducked. Then Nancy sighed. "There is nothing he can do to change what he's done in the past," Nancy agreed. "Even if I did tell him how hurt and disappointed I am, that wouldn't change anything."

"But it would probably make him think twice about doing something similar in the future," George pointed out.

"I've never thought he was going to cheat on me," Nancy said. "I just haven't, and I don't now."

Once Bess and George had left for their dorm, Nancy finished up her homework for the next day, debating. Her schedule was light on Fridays, since she had known she and Ned might be taking trips to New York to coordinate wedding details. With a small sigh she looked down at her engagement ring again. She kept hoping that her father wouldn't find out about the current scandal, but she knew that was foolish.

_Well, he made a mistake,_ she thought. _It was years ago and he didn't make the tape to share, and... I just can't condemn him, because the man who did that isn't the man I'm going to marry. And if Dad brings it up, that's just what I'll tell him._

She was about to close her laptop when her email alert pinged. One of her teachers had sent a message to the entire class, and when Nancy read it, it felt like a sign. She pulled her typed assignment out of the printer's tray and slipped it into the pocket of her binder, considering. Then she picked up her cell phone and sent a text message.

After her last class on Thursday afternoon, Nancy went back to the apartment to drop off her backpack and pick up her small carry-on bag, then took a cab to the airport. Thanks to all her frequent-flyer miles, the flight had been cheap. Once she touched down in New York, she headed down to the airport's subway stop and bought a ticket. As she waited the few minutes for the next train, she fitted her white earbuds into her ears and slid her engagement ring around on her finger so it just looked like a plain white-gold band. She didn't want to invite a mugging or some gawker's recognition on the way to Ned's apartment. She tucked her reddish-gold hair under a ballcap she had brought along just for that purpose, too. This way, she looked like a college student on a long weekend in the city, not the fiancée of one of its most eligible bachelors. 

Once she was on the train, she kept one hand on her suitcase and the other on her phone, but she kept a sharp eye out. She didn't sense any danger, but it never hurt to be cautious. Everyone around her looked either tired or anxious, and most of them were bent over their cell phones, entirely ignoring the world around them, save an occasional glance up at the screen displaying the name of the next stop.

Once she was in Ned's neighborhood, she maneuvered to the car's doors and took the stop closest to his apartment. That was when she started to feel anxious. If the paparazzi had been waiting at his place in Chicago—and after they had surprised her at the front door, Nancy had begun using other secured entrances—she had a feeling they might be waiting at his New York apartment too, especially if anyone had seen him fly into New York that afternoon.

Nancy hailed a cab on the street and gave the cabbie an address a block down from Ned's apartment, so she could reconnoiter. On the way she put on a thin Nets windbreaker she had bought from a shady street vendor. She sat back from the window so the paparazzi couldn't see her easily—her face would be cast into shadow by the ballcap, too—but they were there, sure enough. When the cab didn't slow down, they didn't pay any attention to it, and Nancy breathed a sigh of relief.

She gave the driver a generous tip, then walked to the rear parking entrance of Ned's apartment house. She saw a woman smoking a cigarette in the shadows, but Nancy had a folded map in her hand and a rolling suitcase, so when she approached the attendant, the woman seemed to go back to ignoring her.

Nancy had folded her driver's license into the map, and she gave the attendant a sunny smile. "I'm Ned Nickerson's fiancée," she said quietly, flashing the ring she had turned back around on her finger, so that the stones faced out. "You can call up if you want, but will you let me take the elevator up so I can avoid the crowd out front?"

After a quick phone call, she was granted entrance to the elevator. She took off the ballcap, tossing out her red-gold hair, and slipped out of the windbreaker. She wore jeans and a dark-blue t-shirt advertising a 5k walk and run George had helped coordinate in River Heights three years earlier. She had considered dressing up, but she hadn't had time, and the most important thing had been to get to Ned. She had wanted to use her time on the flight and the subway to figure out what she was going to say, but she had been too anxious to focus for long.

She had keys to all Ned's homes and apartments, but she knocked anyway. She only had to wait a moment for an answer. Louis opened the door, a small smile on his face.

"He's not here," Louis answered her question before she even had a chance to ask it. "He's meeting with his attorney, and I'm working on dinner. He should be back soon. Come on in."

Nancy returned Louis's smile with one of her own, taking her suitcase to the bedroom before she went to the kitchen. "Thanks for letting me know his schedule," she said. When she had sent Louis a text the night before, he had replied with their return flight information as soon as he had found out.

Louis shrugged as Nancy sat down at the breakfast bar, watching the knife flash as he deftly chopped a handful of mushrooms, then gathered them to toss them into a simmering pan. "He's been incredibly upset," Louis said, his gaze still on the stove. "He didn't want to see you again until all this was settled."

"But you told me the plans anyway."

Louis glanced over his shoulder while uncorking a bottle of wine. "I guess I was hoping the surprise would be a good one," he admitted. "At least eat dinner before you make any rash decisions. Maybe if you're here, he will eat something."

"He hasn't been eating?"

"Barely. I think he was using all his energy to get through his meetings. Please tell me you're not here to make things any worse." Louis glanced over his shoulder at her again.

Nancy shook her head. "I hope not."

"Can I get you anything?"

"No, no. I'll pour myself something to drink. You're busy." Nancy paused as she crossed to the cupboard. "Can I help you, though?"

He hesitated for a moment, then shook his head. "It would take longer for me to explain it to you than to do it myself," he said, an apology in his voice.

While they waited, Nancy considered. Other than the trophies and keepsakes displayed in his old bedroom at his parents' house, Ned had never seemed overly sentimental or attached to physical objects. He liked to give her jewelry and tokens, but she had never really bought him anything like that. Her gifts to him had been more sentimental than costly. Now that she was in his apartment and afraid to leave before he arrived, now she wondered if she should have brought him something to help cheer him up, but it was too late.

She always felt a twinge of self-consciousness and guilt when she thought about it, but he had always told her that it didn't matter to him. He enjoyed giving her gifts, and seeing her happiness in return was all he wanted.

When Bess texted her, Nancy went into the living room to respond. Since the professor had canceled Friday's class, Nancy had been able to leave immediately after class on Thursday, which meant she likely wouldn't be able to host the sleepover she and Bess and George had planned for Friday night.

_Doing OK? Already in NY?_

Nancy replied, sure that if George knew where she was and why, she wouldn't be completely pleased; she was hoping Bess would understand. Then Nancy pulled out her laptop to check on her homework assignments. She had put the Victorian love token necklace in her carry-on bag so it wouldn't be lost when she was going through security; she took it out and fastened it around her neck again.

About thirty minutes passed, and her stomach had just gurgled when Nancy heard the front door of Ned's apartment open, with no knock to herald a visitor. She heard Ned's voice and Louis's, indistinct thanks to the sizzle of the pans on the stove. She rose and ran her fingers through her hair, dusting herself off, before she began to walk toward the front door. Her heart was pounding.

"We have a visitor," Nancy heard Louis say, just before she saw Ned.

Nothing about him had changed. When she studied the lines of his face, she didn't suddenly see a dissolute asshole who had been misleading her for over a year. She saw the same man she had fallen in love with, but frustration and impatience were clear in his face. Then he saw her, and immediately that frustration melted away. She saw only the same despair she had heard in his voice the night before.

"Nan, baby..."

She recognized it. The afternoon before her departure from New York the previous summer, once she had known she was falling for him and had been just as certain that it would never work, she had come here to share one last meal with him before saying goodbye. She had seen that same expression on his face then.

He had always counted himself as lucky to have her, and she could read it in his face. She had never signed up for this, and he was afraid that she had come to New York just to tell him in person that it was over.

But she wore the token he had given her; she wore the ring he had given to her when he had pledged to spend the rest of his life with her. She crossed the space between them in three large strides and embraced him hard, and he immediately hugged her in return.

"I missed you," she murmured, her heart in her throat. "I couldn't wait to see you."

He lifted her off her feet and buried his face against her neck, and she clung to him. "Nan," he whispered, his breath warm against her skin. "Honey."

"I'll let you know when dinner is ready," Louis said with a smile. "Go have a seat."

Ned carried Nancy to the couch and sat down with her. "How...?"

"I asked Louis to let me know when you'd be coming in." She ran her fingers through his hair. "You must be jetlagged as hell."

He searched her eyes for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah," he sighed. "I'm exhausted and pissed off and frustrated. I just want to get this behind me—behind _us_."

"And it's not a slander suit anymore." She stroked his cheek.

"Apparently not. It just makes me sick, all of it... I want to find whoever did this and..." He broke off, looking away.

She cupped his face and tipped his chin up so he faced her again. "Have you seen the tape?"

"Yeah." He sighed. "I didn't know she was only twenty, but I'll be honest with you, I'm sure I didn't ask. She was an adult and she definitely wasn't shy about anything we were doing..."

Nancy swallowed hard. "And there's no evidence of coercion in the video."

Ned searched her eyes again. "No," he said, his voice just as quiet as hers. "But there wouldn't have been. I never needed to talk anyone into anything, not like that, and a girl who didn't want to sleep with me..." His gaze dropped to her lips. "Well, it was always very easy to find another one."

Nancy bowed her head. It wasn't like it was a surprise, but hearing it again still hurt. "Hey," he said softly, cupping her cheek too. "Nan, if there was anything I could do..."

"I know," she said.

"You're mad at me."

She forced herself to look up and into his eyes. "Yes and no," she said. "I'm angry that someone would do this to you when clearly the only motive behind it is to make you look bad. That's not your fault. It _is_ your fault that you didn't use any common sense about this when it happened. And when I think about it... yeah, knowing that there are a bunch of grainy sex tapes of my future husband out there for any jackass to find on the Internet, it does make me feel really shitty."

She was about to continue when he interrupted. "My defense attorney has a guy he recommends in cases like this, and I took his suggestion," Ned said. "It's hard to find all the copies and get rid of them, but it _is_ pretty easy to flood all the channels hosting that kind of content with garbage versions. I know it doesn't solve the problem, but it'll help."

Nancy nodded slowly. "I'm disappointed, but not in you. I'm disappointed in the guy who did this... and I believe with all my heart that you and he aren't the same person. So you made a mistake. That doesn't change who you are now."

He leaned forward, gently stroking her cheeks, and touched his forehead to hers. "I love you," he said softly.

"And I love you," she whispered. "Not just for the good times. Through all of it."

He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight to him, and she rested her cheek against his shoulder, holding him too.

She and Louis were both happy to see that Ned finished his perfectly-seared steak with mushroom and red wine reduction, along with most of his baked potato and salad, before they tucked into piping-hot chocolate soufflés. Since they had been traveling all day, Louis apologized for the relative simplicity of the meal, but it was exactly what Nancy and Ned had wanted after a day of anxiety.

After dinner, Nancy went to the living room while Ned went to the bedroom. He returned a moment later with a wrapped box, and Nancy shook her head, a soft smile on her face.

"I saw it in a shop window and I knew I had to get it for you," Ned said, handing it to her. "Don't give me that look, Drew. I think you'll like it."

She tore away the paper, which bore an intricate design in red, gold, and black, to reveal an embroidered box. Nestled in its padded interior, she found a smaller box, a Chinese dragon carved in white stone on its lid. She lifted it out, her eyes lighting up.

"A puzzle box! Oh, Ned, it's beautiful."

He smiled, sliding his arm around her shoulders. "I'm glad you like it, sweetheart. It's just a little something to apologize."

Nancy shook her head. "I told you," she murmured. "I didn't need a gift. But it was very sweet of you to buy it for me. Is there anything hidden inside?"

"You'll just have to open it to find out." He stroked her shoulder. "But maybe later. I was able to get a little bit of sleep on the plane, but I'm pretty exhausted."

"Are you meeting with your attorney again tomorrow?"

He nodded, stifling a yawn. "That's another reason I wanted to get back early; nothing can be filed over the weekend, and I wanted to get as much done as I could. I'm guessing that if you're here, you aren't going to class tomorrow?"

She shook her head. "I thought I'd stay through Sunday morning," she told him. "Unless you want to go back earlier."

Louis bid them both goodnight, and Nancy and Ned prepared for bed. She had left some lingerie at this apartment during their last visit, and she settled on a short, soft nightgown made of brushed cotton and trimmed in small ruffles. When she walked into the bedroom, her teeth freshly brushed and hair combed, her long legs bare, Ned had stripped down to his underwear and was sliding between the sheets.

"C'mere, honey," he murmured, and Nancy went to her side of the bed. Although she was exhausted, after he had wrapped her in his arms, she couldn't seem to close her eyes for very long.

"You okay?"

"Mmm. Yeah," she murmured, moving her head on the pillow. The apartment was so quiet; the sounds of the traffic on the street were muted, thanks to the apartment's height and the thick walls. When the cup of her ear pressed against the pillowcase, she could hear her own blood in her veins. Too quiet.

In the morning, she knew, she should step outside the apartment with him. Let the paparazzi snap photos of the two of them together, their hands joined and chins high. Let the tabloids run the photos, just to show Cassandra—or whoever else was behind it—that the scheme had failed. Release a statement involving the phrase "youthful indiscretion." She knew it by heart; she was her father's daughter, and more than that, she didn't want _anyone_ to think they had the power to separate the two of them.

"You sure?"

Nancy was drawn back by Ned's voice, and she smiled in the dark. "I am. Just thinking about tomorrow, and how we should probably go out together, let them get some photos of us together. I don't want to go to your attorney's office with you, because that's between you and him, but it'll look good."

"It will," Ned said softly, and kissed her forehead. "But I don't just want things to look good. Nan, I'm so sorry this hurt you. I can't say it enough. When I saw you here, I was so afraid that you'd come here to tell me the whole thing was off."

She reached up and lightly brushed her fingertips down the curve of his cheek. "If you had slept with this girl after you and I had said we were exclusive, especially once you had proposed, then yeah," she told him. "I probably would have. But that's not what happened. What I value above almost anything is your honesty. I love you, and I truly believe that the man in bed with me right now is a genuine, caring, thoughtful guy. If you're honest with me, if you come to me and tell me if something happens, it'll be okay. We'll work through it." She brushed her thumb against his lips. "I have no right, and no desire, to judge you for what you did before we met. What happens _after_ , is different."

He kissed her thumb. "Have I mentioned how much I love you lately?" he murmured, then rolled onto his back while holding her, so that she was resting on top of him. "How much my heart broke when we were on the phone and you told me you needed time? I know it was a lot to process..."

She kissed his lips gently. "And I needed time to readjust," she murmured. " _Not_ a break from you. I don't want a break from you." She pushed herself up so she was straddling him, then kissed him again. "When I thought back about all those times we've been apart, how long we were dating that we weren't having sex... it made me sick, to think that you had taken the time we were apart to see other people, but I just couldn't believe you would do that."

"And I didn't. I wouldn't." He stroked his fingers through her hair. "I'm a one-woman kind of guy. When I was between relationships, that was when things would get pretty crazy... but since we met, it's always been you, Nancy."

She drew her knees up and felt him stirring beneath his boxers. "And it's always been you," she told him, shivering as he reached down and began to flirt with the ruffled hem of her nightgown, drawing it above her thigh. The contact sent a delicious tingling over her skin. She pushed herself up and flipped on the bedside lamp, and Ned blinked up at her, his dark eyes alight.

"Ned... do you... want to do that, with me?"

"Want to do what?"

"Make a... tape."

"No," he said, and reached up to cup her cheek. "I was okay with it the first time... and, contrary to what you may think, I guess you haven't done a search, because to my knowledge and my attorney's, only four including the latest one have ever been available online. So no, there aren't a hundred tapes of me out there fucking other women."

Nancy glanced down for a second, blushing a little.

"It's okay. Given all the shit Fare and Josh and the other guys talk, I can see how you'd think there were more." He tipped her chin back up. "But no, that's not on my wish list. I do want videos of you, of us, though. Videos of us on vacations, climbing mountains, skydiving, parasailing, just hanging out. The kinds of things we can show our kids, so they can roll their eyes and say how young we looked."

Nancy smiled, looking into his eyes.

"But, no. I don't want a tape of us fucking. I'd much rather be with you, to feel you sweet and tight and wet around me, than watch some grainy shot of my ass. The tapes are boring." His gaze dropped to her lips, then went back to her eyes. "Remembering all those sexy gasps and cries you made while I was going down on you the first time is much better. And listening to them in person? That's even better."

He reached down and tugged at the band of her panties, but she reached down and grasped the hem of her gown, pulling it over her head, leaving her naked to the waist. She leaned down, kissing him again, straightening her legs on either side of his. He began to slide her panties down while she started working on his boxers.

They had been having sex all summer, living together for the majority of the summer, but she still felt an incredible rush when he rolled her over onto her back and kissed his way down her body, when she parted her legs wide and he nestled between, one of her hands at the crown of his head, her fingers buried in his hair. The build of her arousal was gradual, slow; her lashes fluttered down as he stroked his tongue against her clit, teasing the entrance of her sex with his fingers while he used his other hand to fondle her breast.

She had thought that after the first time, sex would always be pleasurable, but it still felt much, much better for her after a lot of foreplay. Once she had become comfortable with using vibrators and other toys with him, he had liked to use those as part of their foreplay and lovemaking, but sometimes, like tonight, she preferred _him_. She preferred his tongue to be stimulating her clit; she preferred his fingers to stroke and thrust up inside her. Ned responded to her feedback when a toy didn't, couldn't; if she begged, he went faster, and if she was uncomfortable, he found a way that was comfortable for her.

Her hips bucked and quivered as he went down on her, and she pinched and fondled her other breast as she gasped. "Mmmm, _yeah_ ," she moaned. "Oh God, that feels so fucking good."

"And you taste so good," he murmured, before giving her another lick. "Tell me when your sweet tight pussy is ready for me, baby."

Nancy tilted her head back, panting. She had never, ever felt pleasure like the pleasure she felt when they were in bed together. She had never felt irresistibly sexy, not until she and Ned had been alone together, until he had gazed at her like she was the only woman on earth, or at least the only one he cared about. He had taken her into his family; he had taken her into his bed, and he had given her so much. "Mmmmm, here," she moaned, fondling both her breasts so he could use both hands on her.

He traced the slick inner lips of her sex, then gently worked his finger between, brushing against her perineum as he did. "Mmm. Condom," he murmured against her clit, and Nancy shuddered, still pinching and stroking her nipple with one hand as she pushed herself up to pull a wrapped condom from his bedside drawer. She settled back onto the bed, bending her legs and opening them as wide as she could, as he unwrapped the condom. He worked one long finger up into the slick heat of her sex, lubing the latex with her arousal, before he began to tease her asshole.

She rolled her nipples, arching, releasing a quiet groan as he stimulated her clit, her sensitive sex, and her asshole at the same time. "Ned," she moaned, feeling her inner flesh tighten against his finger. "Oh _fuck_..."

Anal sex, they had discovered, required a _lot_ of lube and foreplay, and even then Nancy enjoyed his finger penetrating her ass far more than she liked feeling his big, hard cock there. She hadn't really told him, but she hadn't really needed to. He had pulled back when he had realized it hurt her, and when she had assured him that his fingering her had still felt good, he had left it at that.

"Yeah, you know you love that," he growled, and she bucked, letting out a squeal as he dragged his stubbled chin against her clit. "That's right, baby."

Her sex tightened and released in a quick throb against his fingers, and he began to thrust them into her more quickly, still suckling and teasing her clit, working his finger in and out of her asshole. Her abs tightened as she flexed against him, and she began to chant "Oh my God, oh my _God_ " over and over, her voice rising in desperate sobs.

"Come. _Come_."

She screamed, her hips jerking, and with each scrape of his stubble against her clit she thought she was going to die at how incredible it felt. She desperately fondled, pinched, rolled her nipples, rubbing her flat palm over them before pinching them with her nails; she was flushed, burning up, and she couldn't catch her breath. "Fuck fuck _fuck oh God oh my God_ ," she screamed, arching, tilting her head back. "Come _come please fuuuuuuck_...."

He sat up. "Put your legs over my shoulders, baby."

She obeyed him, and when he pushed himself up, then moved his cock into position so he could slide inside her, she was so relaxed that she didn't feel any pain, only delirious pleasure. "Oh God oh _yes_ ," she sobbed, and screamed again when he fingered her ass and clit again.

"God, your pussy feels so good," Ned groaned as he pushed his full length between her legs. "Oh _fuck_ , so good..."

She couldn't bear the stimulation against her nipples with everything else, so she braced her elbows against the bed, pushing herself up so she could bounce with his thrusts. He groaned and she screamed again, her hair sliding over the pillow. Her skin was damp with sweat; she felt her breasts bouncing, and his groans of pleasure sent a trembling down her spine.

She didn't know how long, or how many times, she came. She was delirious, sobbing, every sensation so sharp and arousing, and whenever she thought he was about to stop and let her relax, he shifted or changed his angle and she was caught in another wave of pleasure. "Yes," she moaned, almost babbling. "So good so _fucking good oh God yessssss_..."

He slid his entire finger into her ass, then began to stimulate her with light brushes of his fingertip while he circled her clit with his other fingertips, and Nancy's eyes rolled back. She felt a sudden squirting gush of fluid in her sex, and she flushed again as she screamed.

"Fuck," Ned growled. "Oh fuck, baby..."

"I'm sorry," she whimpered.

"Don't, baby, it's good, it's so good... you feel so good..."

She relaxed when he wasn't horrified or angry, bringing her hands up to her breasts again. When she pinched her nipples she pulsed around him, realizing that her sex felt very, very wet, or his cock did; she could hear the wet plunging sound of him moving inside her. He leaned down to kiss her and she shuddered, her hips jerking as she reached the peak of another orgasm.

Once he came with a jolt of his hips, Nancy felt weak, boneless—and very wet. Ned reached down beside the bed, then laid a shirt under her hips before he laid her down. She flushed as she realized that her inner thighs and sex were dripping wet.

"What happened," she whispered, afraid to look into his eyes. It had felt incredible, but she was afraid she had done something wrong.

He leaned down over her and kissed her again. "You squirted," he told her. "Ejaculated. It's okay; it was really hot, and it made you wetter than hell. Guess you really liked that assplay, huh."

She didn't see any disgust in his eyes. "I'm so wet," she whispered.

Ned growled. "Baby, if you'd let me use a vibe on you right now, you'd probably scream loud enough for someone to call the cops."

She blushed again, but she opened her legs as wide as she could. "Do it," she whispered, biting her lip, already shivering in anticipation.

\--

In the morning, Nancy woke with a start, her forehead pressed against her fiancé's upper arm. Ned's cell phone alarm was going off. He rolled over to turn it off, and Nancy tumbled onto her stomach when the mattress shifted, groaning as she began to push herself up. She was naked, and so was Ned; the sheets still smelled of sex, and the vibrator and toys they had used the night before were on the table at his bedside.

She collapsed onto her side of the bed; the pillowcase was cool against her cheek, and she felt exhausted. Then Ned collapsed back against the mattress too, and she felt his arm slide around her waist.

"Just a few more minutes," he muttered.

Nancy had to smile. She took a breath, then turned onto her side to face him, to nestle against him again. He turned onto his side too, pulling her to him, and she let out her breath in a sigh.

She didn't know when they had finally gone to sleep for good. She remembered falling asleep once, and then having sex with him again afterward. She remembered being so wet it had almost, _almost_ been uncomfortable. She remembered being on her hands and knees and feeling him plunge into her, stroking in her sex, and then feeling his breath against her shoulder, hearing him gasp as he asked if they could try anal again.

She hadn't been reluctant. She had wanted to give him everything, everything he wanted or could ever ask of her, everything he had given up when he had chosen her instead of those other girls. She didn't know why, maybe because she had already come so many times, but she had been relieved when having sex with him that way hadn't been nearly as painful as she remembered. He had stroked his fingers against her clit and in her sex the whole time, too, and that had definitely helped. It hadn't been nearly as good for her as feeling his sex stroke in and out of her own, but he had enjoyed it, and it hadn't been entirely unpleasant.

Experimentally she tensed. She was a little sore, but it wasn't bad, and she hoped some aspirin would take care of it.

"Mmm," Ned murmured, then kissed the crown of her head. "You okay?"

"Yeah," she whispered. "I'm okay. You okay?"

He drew his fingertips slowly up her side, toward her breast. "Yeah," he murmured, his voice still gravelly from sleep, and the low soft sound felt incredibly intimate. "I woke up in bed with my gorgeous future wife, who told me she still loves me and still wants to be with me. And no matter what happens today, today will be good because you're here with me."

She kissed his chest, sliding her arm around him and gently tracing her fingertips up and down the length of his spine. For a moment she was speechless, remembering who she had been before she met him, how much she had changed since they had started dating. He was naked, unselfconscious, and he touched her with such tenderness. He would be her husband.

Even if Bess had predicted this during one of their late, giddy sleepovers, even if Bess had described some tall, dark, handsome millionaire with a bad-boy streak and a genuine heart of gold, who would fall head over heels in love with her and promise her the life she had never even let herself dream of having, Nancy wouldn't even have given it a second's thought. It would have been impossible. It was impossible.

But he was hers, and she was his. All her reason and logic and caution were useless when it came to him. What he felt for her, and what she felt for him in return, was infinite, perfect.

No matter what he did, she would love him, and the realization was almost terrifying. No matter what. Her heart would never be her own again. Even if he did something that destroyed their relationship forever, even if her trust in him were broken somehow, she would still love him.

She tipped her head back and gave him a soft kiss. "I will always want to be with you," she told him quietly. "I will always love you. We'll get through this together, and then we'll be able to focus on the wedding plans."

"Sienna said she would be happy to meet with you this afternoon. Apparently she has some ideas."

Nancy kissed him one last time, then began to push herself up with a groan. "Fuck, I can just _imagine_ trying on a hundred dresses for her. I really should've listed this as some kind of fashion-design independent study course."

Ned chuckled and pushed himself up, too. "Sounds good to me."

Ned dressed in a suit; Nancy dressed in a button-down shirt and a short corduroy skirt. They drank a gallon of coffee between them during Louis's incredible breakfast of cinnamon raisin spirals topped with cream cheese glaze, fresh fruit and crispy maple-cured bacon. Once the car arrived, they took the elevator down and smiled at the doorman, their hands joined, and walked through the front doors of the lobby together.

The cacophony of voices was the same, and though Nancy flinched, she didn't show it on her face. Instead she smiled, following Ned's lead. They did exactly as they had discussed; Nancy made sure to reach up and smooth her hair with her left hand, so her ring was plainly visible. Ned ignored the questions the paparazzi threw at him, announcing in a clear, strong voice that he was planning on dealing with the matter and moving past it as soon as possible. He didn't admit guilt or apologize; his apology wouldn't have been directed toward them, anyway.

In the backseat of the hired car, Nancy sat down and then shifted. The aspirin she had taken with breakfast hadn't taken full effect yet. "You okay?" Ned murmured, sliding his arm around her. He leaned over and whispered into her ear, "From last night?"

"Yeah, but I'm okay," she whispered, and he moved to look into her eyes, and she felt breathless.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart."

She cupped his cheek and gave him a smile. "I want you to be happy with me," she whispered.

"Baby, I am, I am so happy with you..."

She gently brushed her thumb against his lips. "I want to give you everything. I want to be everything you want."

He gazed into her eyes, then leaned down so his lips were against her ear. "Listen to me," he said, stroking his fingertips down the other side of her neck. "Listen to me and believe me, Nan. You are all I want. If I ever ask you to do something that hurts you, it would make me miserable—I never, never want to hurt you. Occasional spankings ever now and then exempted, of course." He kissed her ear, gently running the backs of his fingers against her neck. "If I tell you I want to do something and you can't, if it's uncomfortable for you or it hurts you or you don't like it, that's the end of it. I'm not going to find someone else who will give me that.

" _You_ are what I want. I don't want you to change yourself for me, honey, not like that... but when I'm with you, the person I am with you is the person I always want to be. I don't know if that makes sense to you... I want to make you happy, too. I want to make every second of your life better than the last, and that's what kills me so much about this."

Nancy's lashes were low. The feel of his breath against her skin was leaving her incredibly sensitive and attuned to him, and her hand rested on his knee. Distantly she could feel the car speed up and slow as traffic flowed, but all she truly knew was him, and this.

"I know exactly what you mean," she whispered, and then she opened her eyes. He kissed the hollow behind her ear, then moved to look into her face, and her heart was in her throat. "It's just... I've never ever felt for anyone the way I feel for you, and I just... I want to make you as happy as you make me."

He kissed her, softly, gently. "And you do," he murmured. "I love you so much, Nancy."

"And I love you," she murmured.

He kissed her again. "So we'll meet for lunch?"

She nodded, then ruefully patted her stomach. "Although I think Sienna would definitely say that after that breakfast, I should skip lunch—so I'm not in triple Spanx when I'm trying on wedding dresses."

"And now we're _definitely_ going to meet for lunch, so I can make sure you eat. And no triple Spanx, okay? I want you to be comfortable on our wedding day."

"But beautiful."

"There's no 'but' about it." He smiled, his crooked finger stroking gently beneath her chin. "You _are_ beautiful, and you would be beautiful in a burlap sack or the latest Dior. I've already told the wedding coordinator and Sienna that money is no object, and I mean it. If you want to have a dress commissioned..." He glanced down, and Nancy kissed his cheek. "Or maybe you'd rather we elope, make it a little less public..."

It was her turn to tilt his face back up so she could look into his eyes. "Now _you_ listen to _me_ ," she told him. "I am _not_ going to hide from this or back down or act ashamed to be with you. We are _not_ going to elope. We are going to have a beautiful wedding that's just the way we've always wanted, the way _you_ have always wanted, and we'll have a video to show our kids when they want to see how handsome and dashing their father was on his wedding day..."

Ned gave her a small smile. "Or how incredibly radiant and beautiful their mother was," he told her. "Although I'm sure it won't be hard. You still will be."

She gave him another soft kiss. "If I can't track down the source of the tape," she said, placing the faintest emphasis on the last word, "before a month has passed, you can take my detective license."

Ned's eyes twinkled. He knew full well she didn't have one, not yet anyway. "Those are some pretty high stakes, Miss Drew."

"I try to have some confidence in myself. And, I've got to admit, I'm kind of looking forward to showing the bitch who did this that she _didn't win._ She never will."

"Because I'm your trophy?"

She shook her head. "Because her entire point was to make us miserable," she told him. "And you're not a trophy; I've never seen you as one. I look at our relationship as an incredible gift that I never could have earned... and I guess that's part of why I—why I said what I did."

"That you'd be anything I wanted."

She nodded. "You're everything I know," she murmured. "But I..."

He cupped her cheek. "You aren't my first," he said softly. "But you will be the last. You're the other half of me. I couldn't possibly want more than you, Nan. How could I want to feel more than complete?"

She sniffled, then kissed him. "Okay," she murmured. "Maybe Sienna will have tracked down the perfect dress already. And when our guests see me in it, they'll be able to see me the way I feel every time you look at me. Like I'm the most beautiful woman in the world."

"You are," he told her with a smile.

When the car came to a stop at the curb, Ned glanced up and sighed. "I'll see you soon," he told her. "Call me if anything comes up, okay?"

Nancy nodded. "I was in such a hurry to get out here that I haven't contacted my aunt, but maybe I could see if she and Seth are free for dinner, tonight or tomorrow?"

"Sounds perfect. Maybe Louis could whip up something decadent."

True to Ned's word, he had apparently told the wedding coordinator that money was no object at all—and Nancy was able to tell how she had interpreted that. Common roses weren't good enough; they would have to be gilded, or preserved in some exotic way that would provoke envy in their guests. They discussed flowers for centerpieces and Nancy's bouquet; the coordinator showed Nancy photographs of exotic orchids, and during a break, Nancy took out her cell phone to look up the conveniently omitted price and felt lightheaded when she found it. Six thousand dollars per flower? Two-hundred-thousand dollars per flower?

Since Nancy didn't know what her dress was going to look like yet, she decided to hold off on deciding about her bouquet, but for her centerpieces—she considered, then decided on a color palette from gold-tinged cream, through soft baby-pink and dusty-rose pink and royal purple to indigo. She asked for centerpiece and bouquet ideas made of lilies, tulips and roses, and the coordinator described an indoor lighting and design concept that looked soft, romantic and intimate, even if five thousand guests were attending the reception.

Nancy was almost relieved when the coordinator was called away, and since she had a large wedding she was arranging for the following day, her assistant would be available to answer questions or help her with additional plans. Nancy texted Sienna to ask where she wanted to meet and whether she was available yet, and while she waited for a response, Nancy wandered down to a nearby coffee shop and scrolled through an online board Bess had made specifically to collect her suggestions for dress ideas.

One pouting model strutting down a runway, her cheekbones razor-sharp and emphasized by bold makeup, wore a grand tiered slate-grey wedding gown. Nancy made a little face at it. She wasn't opposed to trying something striking and different, but whenever she had imagined her wedding with Ned, she had been wearing a dress that, if not white, was at least cream.

Bess loved the idea of integrating color into the dress design, though. Some of her suggested dresses were embellished on the bodice or with jewel-toned sashes; some looked like infinite cascades of soft diaphanous material only vaguely formed into the silhouette of a gown. Some were printed with a soft romantic floral design; some were embellished with appliqués and almost achingly, painfully formal. Some looked like Nancy wouldn't be able to draw a full breath while wearing them. Nancy was intrigued when she scrolled through a spate of vintage dresses, though. The models wore flip hairstyles and small bows at empire waist seams, gloves and dramatic ball skirts.

While Nancy, Bess, and George hadn't spoken seriously about it, Nancy could imagine that in a few months, maybe a year, Bess might be going through the same process with Maury. Bess had nursed a pretty significant crush on Louis for a while, but now that they had gone back to being friends, Nancy had seen the way Bess behaved around Maury, and he around her. In a way, Nancy envied her friend, just a little. Bess could move far more easily in Ned and Maury's social circles than Nancy could. It wasn't that Nancy lacked the social skills or graces, far from it; her father had raised her to treat anyone with the most polite manners. But this was another world, and she often felt as though she didn't quite know the language. When she was on Ned's arm, wearing a beautiful designer gown tailored perfectly to her curves, she was proud to be with him, to see the desire in his eyes. But she was more content to relax with him back at home.

Bess might wear an elaborate handmade gown with a skirt as wide as she was tall, for her own wedding day. Nancy just didn't feel like that was right for her.

Nancy sat down in the coffee shop to wait for Sienna's reply and drink her coffee, and she was relieved when she realized that the mild pain and discomfort were gone. She toyed with the edges of the Victorian love token necklace as she scrolled through a few more images, then glanced up. A sharp flash of light had caught her attention. A telephoto lens.

Nancy put a smile on her face as she considered. Having coffee by herself would undoubtedly mean the captions would read she was abandoned and depressed. For a moment she wished that Bess was in New York, where she could call her; Bess would eat up the paparazzi attention and dismiss them with a flick of her perfectly polished fingertips. She had been snapped a few times while out on the town with Maury, and when Nancy had caught her scrutinizing the photographs for any blemish, imperfection, patch of cellulite or hint of an extra chin, she had shut that down as soon as she could. Bess was already prone to worry about her appearance, and if any of them dared refer to Bess as "curvy" in a less than flattering way, she was likely to go on one of her ill-advised crash diets.

Sienna texted Nancy back and said she would be free to meet with her after lunch, but she had a few questions just to help her pull appropriate dresses. A-line, ball skirt, one-shoulder or strapless, sweetheart or portrait, mermaid or trumpet or fit and flare?

Nancy shook her head. Bess would know exactly what to say, how to describe what she wanted. Nancy didn't. Just that she would rather be understated than overblown.

Just then, Bess texted her. Nancy realized that Bess had finished with her Friday class and was out for the weekend. _Read this RIGHT NOW!_ She had included a link.

As she waited for the link to load, Nancy picked up her drink, steeled herself, and walked out onto the street. When she saw the man with the camera following her, she considered ducking into a lingerie store just to give him a really interesting shot, but reconsidered when she imagined her father seeing that photograph. He had been reluctant enough to broach the topic of whether she and Ned were having sex. Seeing a photograph that would basically be a tacit admission of their sexual relationship would be a sign of disrespect to him, and she couldn't willingly do that.

Bess totally would have done it, though. And then she would have told her mother that it had just been a prank she was playing on the paparazzo.

Nancy was in a rather fashionable part of town, and she ducked into a large upscale department store so she could read her cell phone screen. The link had directed her to a gossip columnist's post, so Nancy knew to take it with a grain of salt, but her eyebrows rose as she began reading.

_This formerly extremely eligible bachelor, recently confirmed to have a fiancée sporting a stunning custom-designed diamond and sapphire engagement ring, has landed in hot water lately thanks to a filmed encounter. A little bird reports that the mastermind behind the leaked tape, which reveals little more than said ex-bachelor's generous natural gifts and penchant for inebriated blondes, is a scorned former flame who had her own eye on the coveted role of Mrs. Apparently a few professional setbacks gave her too much time to think, and she settled on starting a rumor she couldn't satisfy. The only underage participant was a few months shy of the birthday that would have made all those appletinis legal. Nice try - but you weren't 'en pointe' with this one, sweetheart._

Nancy couldn't help chuckling. Belinda. From everything Ned had told her about his former girlfriend, Nancy had decided she was conceited, thoroughly unpleasant, and just occasionally beautiful arm candy. She heard no fondness in Ned's voice when he spoke of her, and this definitely wouldn't reignite that flame.

_But I'd bet,_ Nancy considered, _that even if Belinda was behind it, Cassandra was egging her on._

In a different life, Nancy would have hated Cassandra. The older, more sophisticated woman represented everything Nancy was afraid she couldn't be for Ned. She would never be entirely comfortable navigating the twisting maze of lies and half-truths and carefully leveraged gossip that women in his world could. In fact, she was inclined to cut through all the bullshit, to confront people. Cassandra _wanted_ that life. Marrying Ned, or at least linking her life to his, would have assured her of it.

But Nancy couldn't bring herself to hate Cassandra. She didn't hate Belinda either, or any of the other women Ned had dated. She just felt a little sorry for them. Nancy made him happy, and she was going to do everything she could to make sure he was always happy with her.

Nancy stepped through the main doors of the store. Fine jewelry. Perfect. She took a few slow steps, and when her phone chirped again, she looked down to check it.

_Great detective work or what? ;)_

Nancy smiled. _Def. Mystery solved, prob. I'll try to get confirmation. Be back Sun if you & G want to hang out then._

_I'm sure it'll be solved by then! :D Sounds good. Give Ned a hug for me._

_Oh, I could never deprive him of one of your hugs._

Nancy glanced up to see the man behind the counter studying her, trying to size her up. Her clothes were casual, but the studied kind of casual that often meant expensive. When Nancy reached up to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear, the clerk's brow cleared. The rock on her finger meant she had the right to be there.

It was almost enough to make Nancy disgusted, but she wanted to use it to her advantage. She had loitered long enough; the photographer following her had decided to take a chance and follow her into the store. Nancy approached the clerk with a gracious smile.

"Could you possibly assist me?"

"I would be pleased," the clerk said, stepping back to gesture to the counter. "Have you spotted a particular piece?"

Nancy shook her head. "The man behind me is harassing me," she said. "Please call security and have him thrown out. Otherwise I'll have to leave the store."

The threat was no threat at all, but within two minutes, Nancy was on the elevator, and the photographer had been thrown out onto the street. Nancy had no intention of the purchases she was about to consider made public record, especially when she saw the delicate lace, silk, and chiffon on display in the lingerie department. She didn't know what she was going to wear for their wedding ceremony, but the wedding night was outside Sienna's purview—and Nancy had a _very_ good idea of how she wanted to look for that occasion.

Ned looked visibly more relaxed when the car picked him up at his attorney's office an hour later, with Nancy already inside and her shopping bags safely in the trunk. "Ataina," he told the driver, who began tapping on the GPS as Ned settled against the seat and slid his arm around Nancy's shoulders.

"Someone looks happy," Nancy commented, bemused. "And where are we going?"

"To celebrate," Ned said with a grin, and kissed his fingertips. Nancy giggled.

"Good news, then."

"Under the circumstances. Penn spoke to the D.A., and I'll pay a fine—and that's the end of it. I'm also going to make a donation to an alcohol abuse treatment program."

"Is that part of the deal?"

Ned shook his head. "No, but it seemed appropriate. I've had a good quarter. Some charities receive money from me regularly; some, I just give as the mood strikes me." He was still smiling as he turned to her. "So, make any decisions this morning?"

"Uh, mostly that I'd prefer we _didn't_ decimate a rainforest for the bouquets," she told him. "That also seems pretty appropriate. I know we can change it, and I'm sure I should have asked, but I was thinking about a color scheme that's cream, pink, and violet. Anything upset you about that?"

He shook his head, lacing his fingers through hers. "Whatever makes you happy, sweetheart," he told her, and kissed her cheek.

She smiled as she kissed him in return. "Ned," she murmured. "Bess sent me something earlier, a blind gossip item..."

He gazed intently at her, and she could tell he was worried that some new wrinkle had come up.

"No, nothing... well, it basically implied that Belinda was behind the tape's release."

He relaxed a little. "I wouldn't have said that was her style, but I've heard from a few other people..." He shook his head. "She really is an amazing dancer. It's just when she's off stage that she's just so incredibly unpleasant to be around.

"You know, that crack about being the trophy... that's really what I felt like, with her. Everything about her was competition, being first, being perfect—but it was all surface, all skin-deep. You and she had one thing in common, though."

"Oh?" Nancy murmured, her gaze locked to his face. She didn't like the sudden surge of jealousy she felt.

"Her career was everything to her. Her relationship with me wasn't a means to an end for her; I think I was just like some reward she had picked up along the way."

"And you think my career is everything to me, too."

"Well, I don't think that after we're married, you're going to while away the hours eating bon-bons and buying diamond chandeliers," he said. "Am I wrong?"

"Well, I might," she teased him. "If I'm going undercover as a socialite... but I'll make sure all the bon-bons are low-calorie, and the chandelier will be in returnable condition."

He smiled at her, but she saw a thoughtfulness in his eyes. "I'll do my best to give you the life you want," he told her. "You know that, don't you? I saw how happy you were at my grandparents' house this summer..."

"Would I rather have a tea party with Chloe than put on a dress the same price as a decent used car? Most of the time, yeah. And maybe I'll never look as sophisticated and seductive as Cassandra..."

He touched her cheek. "You have to be joking," he murmured. "You are so incredibly, unbelievably sexy. And that's part of what I love about you. You can be wearing one of my old t-shirts or an elaborate ballgown, and I know that the woman I love isn't just some face you've painted on. It's just... everything about you." Then he chuckled. "And _this_ is how my friends know I'm so head over heels in love with you that they can barely stand it."

She smiled and kissed his earlobe. "You said that you like who you are when you're with me," she murmured. "I feel the same way. I feel like a new person when I'm with you. I feel... like I'm an adult, like I'm finally going to be able to build a life, with you."

When they pulled up outside the restaurant, Nancy laced her fingers between Ned's and they walked up to the hostess stand together. She was happy to see that the paparazzi hadn't found them yet; a part of her hoped that since the matter had been settled, they wouldn't be followed around anymore. After all, if a thousand photographs of her face were published, it would be that much harder for her to easily go undercover.

"So," Ned murmured, as the waitress left them with their menus. "What do you think we should do, to show Belinda that she didn't win?"

"Live well," Nancy replied. "Have the wedding we've always wanted. And pity her for thinking that she would feel better by hurting us."


	4. Chapter 4

Nancy wasn't surprised. From the moment she had been introduced to Sienna, she had known Bess would most likely love her. Bess was pretty much the reason Nancy had even met the stylist, anyway, and together they could talk about couture and designers and all sorts of other topics that bored Nancy to death.

And Nancy had ideas about what she wanted her wedding gown to be, but she couldn't deny she felt a pang of sadness when she looked at Sienna's designated selections. Her mother wasn't around to help her, and although wearing her mother's gown was an option, it would have to be altered to fit Nancy—and she hated the idea of changing something that had been her mother's, that had been part of such a special day between her parents, just for a ceremony that would likely last less than an hour. The pearl hair combs her mother had worn wouldn't need to be modified, though, and Nancy liked the idea of wearing those.

Bess, who usually needed at least three cups of coffee to be even barely coherent this early, was buzzing with energy and excitement as she slid into the back of the hired car. A paper cup of coffee was already in her hand. "Nan, thank you _so much_ for letting me come with you," she gushed.

Nancy smiled. George had told Nancy she would be happy to look at her wedding dress—once she had decided on it. Bess and George's large family and many slightly-older cousins had meant they had already spent several hours helping soon-to-be-married female cousins select wedding dresses and bridesmaid dresses, and trying on both hideous and less-objectionable attendant gowns. George would doubtless be miserable if Nancy asked her to go on a dress-selection expedition, so Nancy had granted her a reprieve, and had almost wanted to excuse _herself_ , too.

She was marrying a man who had a large family, and their ceremony was going to be elaborate. She had resigned herself to that. But the thought of being the center of attention, of selecting a dress meant to awe the gathered family members and guests... the idea left her cold and fidgety. She wanted her father to be pleased with her wedding ceremony, and she wanted Ned to think her dress was beautiful. Other than that, she couldn't really find it in her to care. All the stress on the selection of her dress felt ridiculous; what was important, really, was what happened _after_ , between Nancy and her husband, not how beautiful the gown she selected was.

"You know, just to save time," Nancy said, nudging Bess with her shoulder, "maybe _you_ should try on some dresses, too. You know, just in case."

Bess's eyes were wide. "Have you heard something?"

Nancy shook her head. "But then, I don't really need to, do I? I've seen the way Maury looks at you."

Bess leaned back with a sigh. The three girls were on their fall break. Ned was staying in Chicago during Thanksgiving to celebrate with Nancy's family, and Eloise and Seth were flying in to join them. For Christmas, Ned's parents had invited Nancy—along with her father, aunt and uncle—to celebrate at Ned's grandparents' house, and Nancy was both incredibly pleased and nervous about it. She wanted Ned to enjoy spending time with her family, and she wanted her family to love Ned's.

The tape that had given them so much trouble for those few days had never been officially released, and a minor actress's drunken car accident the day after the culprit's reveal had eclipsed it in the media. Nancy wasn't sure whether her father had heard about it, but if he had, he hadn't mentioned it—and she was glad. Ned's relationship with his own parents hadn't suffered over it, and when Edith had called a few days earlier to talk about the guest list for the reception, their conversation had been easy.

During Maury's last trip to Chicago a week earlier, Fare had come along, and the three couples had spent a lot of time together. Nancy had always been worried when Bess had thrown herself so completely into her relationships, but Maury was so eager to please her and so sweet that Nancy finally didn't feel nervous about this particular boyfriend. Ned had confided in Nancy that Maury was more interested in Bess than he had ever known his old friend to be in anyone else, and Nancy had been overjoyed for her friend.

Fare and George were a different matter. Fare was reluctant to commit himself, but he was fascinated by George, and their interplay was more playful and teasing than anything else. Every time George turned down Fare's invitation to bed, she had told Nancy, she was worried that he would just move on—but he hadn't yet, and Nancy had reminded George that she and Ned had been together for several months before they had officially taken that final step. George and Fare were definitely physically attracted to each other, but George had learned after a few painful lessons that a man's willingness to join her in bed didn't mean he was interested in anything more than that, when for George, that attraction was complete and far more heartbreaking when it wasn't returned.

Given what Nancy knew about Fare, she still wasn't entirely convinced about him—but then, Ned hadn't led the lifestyle of a sheltered monk either, and things had still worked out well between them.

In the back of the hired car, Bess leaned her head back against the seat. "I... oh God, I don't know what I would do," she said, and giggled. "I mean, he's the total opposite of the guy I usually go for—but I think that's a good thing. Right?"

Nancy nodded, smiling. "You and muscle-bound hunks don't seem to have the best track record," she commented. "I have to say, though, it's really nice to see a guy as happy to be with you as you are to be with him."

Bess tilted her head. "I guess this is how you feel with Ned, huh?" she murmured. "I feel like the luckiest girl in the world. It's as though..." She took a long breath. "I don't have to fight it, and for so long I did. To just overlook or ignore or excuse all the things about him that upset me... it's just not like that, with Maury."

Nancy patted Bess's knee. "And you deserve that."

Bess grinned, then shook her head. "Good old Nancy. You never want the focus to be on you."

Nancy tossed her hair, putting on a fake imperious smile. "I have to practice being undercover," she teased.

Bess shook her head. "If I were in your place I'd be bursting with excitement," she said. "You just really aren't into this, are you."

Nancy shrugged. "I want to marry him," she said. "I want to spend my life with him. All this excitement over one day of our life, all this expense..." She sighed. "I know that it doesn't make that much difference to him, that he's happy to pay for all this, but I want a simple dress, a simple ceremony. All these dramatic gowns and elaborate decorations... it just seems like they're making up for something."

Bess shrugged. "And I look at it the other way," she told Nancy. "If I could, if I were marrying the guy I loved? I would want it to be exactly the way I had seen it in my head for so long. I would want to be wearing the most incredible, the most _beautiful_ gown he had ever seen. I would want to look like a queen. I would want the entire ceremony to be an expression of the love I felt for him, and what he felt for me. Like a physical way to express what I have no words to tell. And you think that would be empty?"

Nancy shook her head. "Not for you," she replied with a smile. "I think what you're talking about would be perfect for you."

"And I think that when Ned says he wants your wedding day to be perfect, no expense to be spared, that it's his way of showing you how much he loves you," Bess said gently. "Marriage is about compromise, right? And when he's in public, he'll be with a beautiful, intelligent woman who looks incredible in a ballgown." Bess raised an eyebrow. "Speaking of compromise, you _better not_ be planning on wearing some of those old threadbare panties and bras I know you still have."

Nancy blushed faintly. "I think I already have that figured out, thanks," she told Bess, folding her hands in her lap.

"And you can bet we'll make sure of it during your lingerie shower," Bess told her. "I thought we might have it closer to the day, just so you don't wear some for him before you walk down the aisle... _and_ just in case you end up needing a lot of flyaway babydolls and elastic." Nancy turned a blank look on her.

"In case you get knocked up," Bess explained gently.

"Bess!" Nancy gasped out. "No."

Bess shrugged. "It happens," she pointed out.

"I'm on—the pill, and I'm always very careful to take it every day..."

"And it fails sometimes," Bess said. "I'll put it this way—if you do, try to schedule it so you aren't showing yet. Refitting a wedding gown is apparently a total bitch."

Sienna had booked a large unused office space for their fitting appointment, and when Nancy walked in, she introduced Bess to Sienna and then walked over to the racks.  All the lights were on, and large photographer's lamps had been set up throughout the space, over an area that Nancy was pretty sure was meant for a changing area. She saw a well-lit pair of triptych mirrors as well, with a platform between. Closer to her, enormous beautiful dresses hung in white garment bags and under thick, clear protective coverings. Nancy saw two headless dressmaker's stands or mannequins covered by sheets, the silhouettes fanned wide at the bottom thanks to the dresses beneath. Some of the dresses she could see were simple, with beaded bodices, gold or silver or rose accents; some were ivory, some a pure blue-white.

Nancy sighed. She had made the appointment with Sienna for a day she would be entirely free, the first day of her fall break; she was hoping that by the end of the day, her dress would be selected and she would only need to show up for fittings. And, if she was lucky, her dress selection would dictate the style of the ceremony and the reception. An empire-waisted Art Deco dress, Bess had said, could mean a 1920s-inspired reception, and she already had ideas about how that could look.

Nancy wanted to be irritated by Bess's enthusiasm, but she only felt grateful. She wanted to give Ned a day he would remember, and Bess definitely wanted to help her do that.

After donning some incredibly restrictive spandex shapewear, Nancy began trying on the sleek drop-waist and mermaid-cut gowns. Sienna told Nancy that she had a few surprises, but she wanted to save those for the end.

She put on a strapless ballgown, a rhinestone and pearl brooch fastened to the sash at the empress waistline, with yards and yards of flawless pure-white satin flowing down to the floor, and studied her reflection. She had said that she wanted simple, but this gown felt _too_ simple.

She found something to dislike about the other dresses, too. The lace and satin dresses were either too fussy or too casual. Taffeta or tulle arranged in roses at the waistline or in the skirt seemed too cutesy. Tiered or feather skirts looked ludicrous on her. Even the simpler gowns felt like they weren't _enough_ , and after countless dresses, Nancy felt discouraged and frustrated. She had turned down three dresses without even trying them on, and when Bess brought her the next dress, she gave her a hopeful smile.

"You'll only be married once. It's important to have the right dress for it, even if it takes a few tries to find it."

"A few tries? How many is this, thirty?" Nancy asked with a sigh.

Sienna came into the dressing room after Bess. "We talked about the three gowns I had designed for you," Sienna said. "This one's by an up-and-coming designer. I know it's a little unusual, but since nothing else has worked for you so far..."

Nancy knew she didn't like the dress before she had even finished zipping it up, but she walked out of the dressing room anyway. It was one-shoulder, asymmetric, with gray tulle over an embroidered bodice and upper skirt. Sienna pursed her lips as she studied the gown, then shook her head slowly. Bess was already wrinkling her nose a little, and when her friend and the stylist glanced at each other, despite her irritation, Nancy had to laugh a little. They really had taken to each other.

"I have a good feeling about the next one," Sienna declared, undaunted.

The next gown was based on a vintage Valentino from the mid-1960s, Sienna told her. The sleeveless white lace gown had a modest scoop neckline; it was fitted over her torso and hips, to just below her knees. Clear sequins were embroidered over the lace, and the skirt of the gown was a bow-topped silk chiffon trumpet, falling into a modest train behind her. A silk-chiffon bow tied at the rear waist and fell into a slightly longer train.

Nancy finished pulling up the zipper, and when she looked at her reflection, she couldn't believe it. The dress was feminine and flattering, and it looked beautiful and sophisticated on her without being too overblown or too fussy.

She slowly opened the door, and when she walked out into the mirrored area beyond, where Bess and Sienna waited, Bess gasped. "Oh my God," she whispered. "Nancy..."

Sienna bit her lip for an instant, considering, then went over to the many headpieces and veils she had brought for the ensembles. She plucked one out, seating it over Nancy's hair, then encouraged her to look at her reflection in the mirrored double triptych that let her see every angle of the dress at once.

"It's beautiful," Nancy whispered. "Oh my God. Oh my God. I'm getting married."

Sienna nodded. "Okay," she said. "I think we have an excellent candidate here. But the last dress—Nancy, it's exquisite, and I want you to at least try it on before you decide, all right?"

Nancy nodded, feeling dazed. She was getting married. She looked like a bride. The dress was almost perfect.

"This one is based on a mid-1950s Charles James design," Sienna said, as Nancy slipped out of the reproduction Valentino. "It's a very famous design, and this gown... well, I have to say that I'm really looking forward to seeing it on. I think it's going to look incredible with your skin and hair."

Together Sienna and Bess gently took it off the dressmaker's dummy, and Nancy's eyes widened a little. The gown was so structured that the bodice held its shape without her being in it, almost as though an invisible woman remained inside. They helped her slip it on and fasten it, and then Bess gasped again, more loudly this time.

The dress was too much. The span of the skirt was incredibly big and it was elaborate, and she was going to wear the Valentino gown, and...

And then she walked over to the mirror to look at her reflection.

The strapless sweetheart bodice of the gown was ivory silk covered in layers of tulle in ivory, silver, and antique gold; the skirt was made of the same, and a length of tulle was gathered in an arc below her waist, coming up to meet the bodice at the small of her back. The back of the bodice was a sophisticated diamond where all the tulle met, and it didn't even need a bow at all. The skirt was enormous, but the dress demanded it. The back swept out in a modest train, and Nancy saw what Bess had meant. She felt like a princess. She felt _beautiful._ She felt like the cherished bride of a man who was willing to give her all her heart desired.

It really was exquisite. It reminded her of the Oscar de la Renta gown Ned had given her soon after they had met, in its cut and silhouette, and her heart beat harder when she saw her reflection.

She stood gazing at the dress for so long that Bess and Sienna came over and looked at it, too. "Nancy," Bess said gently, her voice almost like a sigh.

"Which do you prefer?"

Nancy turned to Sienna, shaking her head. "I don't know," she whispered, smoothing her fingertips over the tulle skirt. "I just don't know. It's beautiful, and it's _so much_..."

Sienna tilted her head. "If you truly can't decide, you could wear both."

Nancy tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

"One for the wedding ceremony, and one for the reception."

Bess squealed with glee. "Yes! This for the wedding, and then the Valentino for the reception so you aren't knocking down half the other guests. Oh my _God,_ Nancy. You look like a queen."

Nancy gently pressed her palms against her belly and gazed at her reflection again, tears pricking in her eyes. "Oh my God," she whispered again.

"Do you want to ask for the groom's opinion?"

Nancy shook her head immediately. She knew it was superstition, but more than that, she wanted him to see her for the first time in this dress on their wedding day, when he was wearing his tuxedo, when they were about to be married. She wanted that. "This one," she said softly. "And the Valentino reproduction for the reception."

Bess squealed again, and Nancy couldn't help grinning too. "It's real," she said, shaking her head. "I can't believe it's real."

"Long ivory gloves," Sienna said. "I'll look for some appropriate pieces, but the neckline of the gown is perfect as it is, so maybe a vintage bracelet." Sienna nodded. "You made an excellent choice, Nancy. Both the dresses are incredible."

Nancy had Sienna take a picture of her in the gown so she could send it to the wedding coordinator, and to her aunt and Hannah, as long as they were sworn to secrecy. Since the wedding was going to be in New York, Sienna said she would take both gowns back to the city for additional fittings, and Nancy decided to invite her future mother-in-law to the next one, so she could see what Nancy would be wearing.

After Nancy had changed back into her jeans and long-sleeved navy-blue top, Bess called George and they arranged to have a late lunch in the city. George had already eaten, and she had been running some errands for her parents. Nancy and Bess went to a small cafe and ordered hot tea and kettle chips to share, while the cook grilled Nancy's roast beef and swiss panini, and Bess's grilled chicken with sun-dried tomato.

"Is it going to break your heart if I ask Maury to hire Sienna for me?" Bess asked, her blue eyes wide.

Nancy chuckled. "No, not at all—but I thought you wouldn't need someone like Sienna."

Bess shrugged. "She can save me time," she said, picking up another chip. "She knows who to contact and she has people on the inside. Not that I wouldn't mind having access to all that, but for now, it's faster." Bess tilted her head. "And if I had a lot of clients giving me carte blanche... God, that might be a fun job."

"Sometimes," Nancy pointed out. "Or then you're stuck with someone like me, who can't tell a Basque waist from—from a hole in the wall."

Bess chuckled. "But you have great skin and you're tall and slender. Your boobs are a little too big for you to be a model, but hey."

Nancy had to laugh. "I'm sure that breaks Ned's heart."

"Nancy, seriously—I think you made a great choice today. I wholeheartedly approve. No one else has a dress like that one. The others? They were like variations on a theme."

Nancy smiled. "I'm just glad Sienna has an eye for this kind of thing. She asked me what I wanted—and honestly a dress like that, I thought I'd hate."

Bess propped her chin on her hand as she looked down into her cup of tea. "Maybe I'll design my own gown," she said dreamily.

"This, from the girl who asked if I'd heard anything about her boyfriend proposing," Nancy teased her gently, shrugging.

George was suitably awed by Nancy's dress, or at least had the grace to say she was, when she showed up and Nancy showed her a picture of it. Her eyebrows went up as she asked about bridesmaid dresses, and Nancy admitted that she hadn't quite figured that out yet. "But they won't be nearly that big," Nancy assured her.

After lunch, Nancy returned to the apartment she and Ned shared. She heard Ned on the phone in the other room, and she put her purse down and toed out of her shoes, then walked into the living room. She moved quietly, but Ned was standing when she came around the corner, a smile on his face.

"Hey, honey. So you had some luck this morning?"

Nancy nodded slowly, approaching him. "We're getting married," she said softly.

His smile became a grin. "Yeah, we are," he agreed, and wrapped her in a hug when she reached him. "And Sienna refused to tell me anything about the dress, other than that you loved it and I would be happy."

Nancy nodded, tilting her head back so she could look into his face. "I'm sure it's going to be expensive, and I'm sorry," she murmured. "Ned, it's beautiful. It's so incredibly beautiful." She sniffled. "And we're getting married."

He picked her up, and she slipped her arms around his shoulders. "So it feels real now, huh?" he murmured.

"Yeah," she whispered, and touched his cheek. "And I feel like the luckiest girl in the entire world. I just can't believe it..."

He leaned forward and kissed her gently. "I can't wait," he said softly. "I can't wait to show everyone, all the people we care about, just how much I love you."

She made a soft pleased humming sound and kissed him in return. "I don't care about what anyone else thinks," she murmured. "When I walk down the aisle to you, your eyes are the only ones I care about."

Ned bent down to leave his phone on the coffee table, then took a few steps forward. "I didn't know if you wanted to do something this afternoon..."

She nodded, then released him and squirmed a little, and he gently placed her back on the floor. Then she took his hand in hers and guided him toward the bedroom.

As soon as the door was closed behind them, she walked him over to the bed, then reached down to strip her shirt off. She slipped out of her jeans and socks next, leaving her in a strapless white bra and white lace panties. Ned was sitting down at the foot of the bed, and he gazed at her with interest.

"I think I like your plan so far."

She stepped forward so she was standing between his knees, then reached for his collar. He tipped his head back so he could gaze up into her face.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you too, baby."

She reached behind her, unfastening the hooks of her bra and then letting it fall to the carpet, her gaze still locked to his. "Take your clothes off," she whispered.

He immediately stripped all his clothes off, then pushed himself backward on the bed. He was on his back, gazing up at her, and she moved onto the bed on her hands and knees, still wearing her panties and engagement ring, straddling him.

"How long do we have until Louis is back?" she murmured.

Ned shook his head. "He's off for tonight; I thought we'd go out..."

"So we're totally alone?"

Ned nodded, bringing one hand up to trace it down her spine, down to the band of her panties. "Mmm. No interruptions, baby. We can do _anything_ you want."

His voice was slow, almost indolent, and her lashes fluttered as he slipped his fingertips beneath her underwear and gently rubbed a circle over her ass. "Mmm. So if I want to ride you on the couch while you suck my nipples and finger my clit..."

He groaned, pressing his hand against her to urge her against him. "Mmm-hmm."

"Or if I sprawl naked on the kitchen table with my legs wide open, watching you pound into me..."

"Definitely an option."

"Or..." She leaned down, until her lips were against his ear and her nipples, already firm from her arousal, brushed his bare chest. "I seem to remember someone telling me, back when I was untouched, that he wanted to bend me over the couch and fuck me from behind while he was pinching my nipples."

"Not to mention," Ned murmured, "that I wanted to cuff you to the bed and tease you until you were begging me to fuck you. We haven't quite done that yet, either."

She kissed his jaw. "You mean with a vibrator?" she asked, her voice a breathy moan. "You mean working a dildo in and out of my pussy while you use a vibrator on my clit?"

Ned growled, burying his fingers in her hair. "And so much more," he said, his voice so low and deep that it sent a shudder down her spine. "So much more, baby. Cuff me to the bed and ride me, sweet girl. Watch in the mirror, watch my cock slide up into that sweet pussy and rub your clit because it's so damn hot to watch us fuck. Rub your nipples against my lips until I lick and suck on them. Sit on my face and make me eat you out, beautiful."

She shivered. "Make you?" she whispered.

"Yeah," he growled. "Baby, there is something incredibly hot about having the woman I love, the woman who will be my wife, ordering me around in bed, demanding that I pleasure her."

She moved back so their noses were touching, and looked him in the eye. "And if what would give me the most pleasure right now..." She took a deep breath. "Is if you grabbed me by the hair, bent me over the couch and fucked me hard?"

Her heart was beating hard in her throat, and he gently brushed her hair back from her face. "Not until that sweet pussy is dripping wet for me," he murmured. "Now, I would _love_ to watch you play with your pretty clit until you're moaning and begging me, but if you'd rather I did it with my tongue..."

She nodded at the last, swallowing hard.

"Say it."

"Lick my clit until I'm wet for you," she whispered, and she actually felt her sex pulse gently in response. "On... on the table."

"Eat you out on the dining room table?" He grinned. "Mmm. My sweet, shy fiancée can be so deliciously dirty sometimes."

She climbed off her fiancé, grabbing a towel before they walked into the living room. The large picture windows were unshaded, and Nancy shrank back.

"After all the paparazzi," she said apologetically. "Ned?"

He went over to the window and pulled the cord that would close the curtains, and only then did Nancy uncover her breasts and walk over to the table, where they had eaten meals and studied ever since he had bought the apartment. He gestured for her to sit down on the edge, and Nancy spread the towel there before she sat down on it. She was already panting a little.

"Mmm. You are so beautiful," he told her, gently running the backs of his fingers against the hard tip of one nipple. She released a soft pleased groan. "So incredibly beautiful. Anything you ever want, anything I have the power to give you—tell me. If you want me to spank you because you've been such a bad, naughty girl..."

She couldn't help giggling. "I remember," she teased him. "Maybe next time. I was thinking a little tartan skirt with suspenders and nothing else..."

Ned groaned, pinching her nipple between forefinger and thumb. "Such a tease," he growled. "Such a shy, beautiful cocktease. I think you _do_ deserve a spanking."

"Before you give me what we both know I want?" she asked, her voice a breathy moan.

He nodded, then stood. "Wrap those pretty lips around my cock, beautiful."

She bent over him, taking him in her hand and angling him, and at first she tentatively ran her tongue against the head of his cock. He sighed in pleasure, threading his fingers through her hair. She opened her mouth, stroking the underside of his shaft a few times with swipes of her tongue, before she closed her lips around him.

"Mmm," Ned groaned, and she squealed softly in surprise as he kept the fingers of one hand buried in her hair, holding her down, as he slipped his other hand into her panties. She gasped as he brushed the ball of his thumb against her clit, and in an attempt to make him keep going, she took as much of his length as she dared, until the tip of his cock was almost at her throat.

"Yeah, baby, so good... suck it."

Her cheeks were flushed, but then he flicked his nail against her clit and she sucked his cock, making sure to keep her teeth away from his sensitive flesh. She kept licking him, pulling back to flick the tip of her tongue against the head of his cock before she took his length again. She parted her legs wide, keeping herself bent over so she could keep sucking on him as she encouraged him to keep touching her.

"Mmm," Ned said in approval, and when he released the pressure on her head, she moved back, gazing up at him, her mouth wet and cheeks flushed. He leaned down and kissed her, a trace of his salty pre-cum on her tongue as he stroked his against it, and then he slipped his hand out of her panties and pushed her down.

When she was naked she spread her legs as wide as she could, prone on her back and panting, and Ned sat down in one of the chairs. "Mmm," he murmured, perching over her. "I love the way you smell when you're aroused... and God, baby, I love the way you taste."

The first stroke of his tongue against her clit made her quiver; after five strokes, she was rolling her nipples between her fingers, squeezing and pinching them. A few more strokes and she was rocking her hips, her spine arching.

"Yeah," he murmured against her clit, and she felt him stroke his thumbs just inside the lips of her sex, down to the hollow of her entrance and back up again. "Mmm. So sweet." He brushed the sandpaper of his stubble against her sensitive flesh and she cried out loudly. "Mmm. Like that?"

"Yes," she groaned, her voice almost fluttering as her heart throbbed faster.

He sucked her clit into his mouth, pulling hard against it, then rubbed his chin against her again as he traced her entrance with his thumbs, and she sobbed. She felt wanton, on fire, her flesh so sensitive under his touch.

Her husband. He would be her husband.

He was gently fondling her entrance when he made a soft surprised sound against her clit. "Yeah, that's right, baby," he growled, licking her again. "You know you love to feel my tongue on your pussy."

"Mmm. Yeah," she moaned. "You, only you. The only one I ever want... my husband..."

He licked her clit one last time, then stood up. "My wife," he said softly, gazing into her eyes.

She shivered. "Come inside me," she whispered. "Please, come inside me..."

He stepped closer to her, drawing her hips to the edge of the table. "I love you."

"I love you," she moaned, and then he cupped her hips, angling her before he slid inside her.

She shuddered at the first shock of his penetration, the thick hardness of his cock against her slick tender inner flesh, her shoulders drawing tight in a quick spasm. He took his first few thrusts slow, so she could become accustomed to him again, and she took a breath before she met his gaze and held it. Her legs were spread wide and she was completely vulnerable to him; she squeezed her breasts, pinching her nipples, and when she wrapped her legs around his waist, the full length of his cock buried between her thighs, he took the opportunity to rub against her tender clit.

"Yes," she cried out. "Oh fuck..."

"Mmm," he growled, bending over so he could prop up his weight with a palm on the table, using his other hand to fondle her clit as he worked in and out of her. She relaxed and tightened her grip on him in time with his thrusts, and when their rhythm matched, she gasped, her inner flesh clenching tight around him for a second.

"Yeah, Nan," he groaned, gazing into her face. "Oh yeah, baby. You feel so, so good..."

"You feel good too," she moaned. "Oh God... oh my God, I love feeling you inside me..."

"Faster," he growled, and she moved against him accordingly, hitching her ankles up a little higher. "Mmm... legs up."

He pulled her hips toward him so they were off the table and she moved her legs so her ankles were crossed behind his head, and his cock was still buried deep inside her as he began to thrust his hips. She cried out, still fondling her nipples as he dug his thumb against her clit. "Oh my _God!_ "

"Yeah, baby."

She was defenseless, sobbing, and when he rubbed hard against her clit again she cried out, her hips angling. She sucked in a hard desperate breath and then screamed, and when she licked her thumb and brought it down to the join of her thighs, touching her clit, Ned growled in approval.

"Yeah, sweetheart—oh _fuck_ yeah."

He scooped her up and she loosed her legs as he collapsed into one of the chairs, and she screamed at the change in his angle, at the thick hard length of him inside her. She was still frantically rubbing her clit as she perched on the balls of her feet and fucked him, her breasts bouncing, and she shuddered when he smacked her ass.

"Mmm. You are hotter than hell," he growled, panting.

She loved the way it felt when her nipples brushed against his chest, so she angled her torso, her lips brushing against the side of his neck. "So big," she gasped, sobbing. "Mmm... oh God, so good..."

"Yeah, that's right, baby. Ride me hard, you dirty girl. Ride me and stroke your clit until you come."

Her inner flesh clenched around him at his words. "Spank me again," she gasped out.

He obeyed her, slapping her ass again. "You like that?"

"Mmm," she moaned, then cried out as he shifted his hips forward. She lengthened her thrusts, her hips jolting as he spanked her again.

He leaned forward and his lips brushed against her neck. "Come," he growled.

She was gasping, sobbing, her entire hand moving with her strokes as she worked her thumb against her clit, and with one last thrust of her hips she tipped her head back and gave a loud desperate scream, her inner flesh clenching and releasing around him as she came. He groaned as he followed, his arms around her, and she collapsed to him, moaning.

"God, Nan," he whispered, still panting. "Mmm." He kissed her temple.

She shifted against him, her head resting on his shoulder. She was spent, entirely powerless; her legs were still spread, and her lips brushed his neck. "Mmm," she agreed. "Oh, oh man."

With a soft groan, Ned moved so that he slipped out of her, and she shivered. The towel she had spread on the table was draped across his knees, and he pulled it up to wrap it around her waist. "You know what would probably be good?"

"What?" she murmured, sweeping her hair out of her face.

"A bath before we go out."

Her legs were still a little wobbly as she went to her dresser, trying to decide what she wanted to wear to dinner. Ned was filling the tub, and when he told her that it was ready, she joined him, sliding into the hot scented water with a sigh.

He moved behind her, and she relaxed against him with a groan. The water was almost warm enough to be painful, but as she grew accustomed to it, she felt her muscles loosen.

He gently cupped her breast. "You seemed to like what we just did..."

"Mmm. Definitely," she murmured, her eyes closed. He was gently fondling her nipple, and while her orgasm had left her loose-limbed and sated, his hands on her felt so good.

He kissed her temple. "And you were definitely incredibly hot."

She chuckled, then moaned softly as his other hand strayed between her thighs. "You know, when I came back, I thought I would pull you to bed and we would make love and it would be slow and sweet," she murmured. "But that was equally as good."

"Slow and sweet is good too," he murmured, and she hissed as her legs parted and the warm water touched her tender flesh again. "We'll just have to do that later."

He gently traced the folds of flesh between her legs, and she let out a low purring sound of contentment, sliding down so the water covered her breasts. He took her hand and moved it down, under the water, and she chuckled softly when she felt his cock under her fingertips. She gently stroked him a few times.

"Ned?"

"Hmm?"

She closed her eyes, then turned so she could look at him. "Did you—are you disappointed that we've already had sex? That on our wedding night... we won't be..." She trailed off.

"As long as you weren't about to say 'on our wedding night we won't be having sex,' no, I'm not disappointed," he told her.

"You didn't think that you'd marry a virgin?"

"When I was younger, yeah, I'm sure," he said. "But I told you, Nan. I love you. Your being a virgin when we met, that was just a coincidence."

"But..." She sighed.

"Tell me this doesn't have anything to do with the color of your wedding dress."

She made a soft sound. "Not really. Kind of, but not really."

He reached up and gently stroked her cheek. "I am marrying a virgin," he told her. "My future wife was a virgin when I met her, and a virgin until we made love for the first time. I think that's special—and if it was important to you that you be the only person I had that kind of relationship with, I'm sorry, honey."

She shook her head. "No," she said softly. "It's okay with me that I wasn't the first. I just want to be the last."

"And that's the same way I feel, too. I was honored to be your first, and I want to be your last." He kissed her gently. "I'm not upset that on our wedding night, when we have sex, it won't be the first time. In fact, if I can be honest with you—I'm glad."

"Because it means we can have sex now?"

"That, and—it's a lot of pressure, and when we had sex the first time, it wasn't nearly as amazing as it is now. I love that when I have sex with my wife for the first time, she'll enjoy it. I won't be worried about how much pain she's in when we fall asleep in each other's arms." He kissed her again. "When you fall asleep in my arms."

She smiled. "I love you so much," she whispered. "I want to be a good wife to you."

He moved so he could look into her eyes. "Are you disappointed that we didn't wait? I'm sorry. Is that what you meant?"

She shook her head. "I'm not. I... Before I met you, I didn't understand how this would be. I thought it would be simple. I thought I'd have some control over it." She gave him another small smile.

"And you thought you'd be a virgin on your wedding night?"

She shrugged. "I don't know," she admitted. "I know that's what Dad wanted... but the thought of having sex with someone always scared me. Until I met you." She leaned forward and kissed the point of his jaw. "Not being with you... not being close to you just seemed foolish, once I knew that we felt the same way about each other. You're the only man for me, Ned Nickerson."

"And you're the only woman for me, for the rest of our lives," he told her.

She glanced down, then back up into his eyes. "For the first time in my entire life I feel so completely loved and safe," she told him. "I've always felt that way with you. And I meant it when I told you that I wanted to spend my life with you, whether we ever made this official or not. But something changed when I saw myself in the dress today. I... I missed my mom. I was so sad that she wasn't here to help me with this, or to share this with me. But more than that—it felt real. I felt like a _bride_. And it was scary and amazing and intense, and incredible, that this little thing could mean so much when I've already told you almost the same words I'll tell you on that day. Like we had talked about getting married, but I still cried when I saw the ring..." She shook her head.

He smiled at her. "It's a big step," he said quietly. "And, God help me, some mornings I wake up and see you sleeping beside me and I pray that you won't start wondering what you're missing by settling down with me now. I feel so incredibly lucky that you're sharing your life with me, Nan. And I wish your mother had been here to see it. I hate that anything made you sad."

She cupped his face in her hands, forcing herself to ask the question before she grew too nervous to speak it. "Do you wonder what you'll be missing?"

He shook his head. "But it's because I know exactly what I'll be missing—or, actually, what I won't be missing at all," he told her softly, his gaze dropping from her eyes to her lips, then back again. "You don't, though. I have no doubt that the relationship I have with you is the most incredible one I will ever have, with anyone. I've indulged myself, and I've been able to experience all my fantasies... but being with you is the most important one, and when you talk about feeling completely loved and safe? You're the only person I've ever felt that with, too."

Her smile broadened into a grin. "And after all that, you really think I'll start wondering if the grass is greener elsewhere?"

He shrugged. "Maybe with a guy who doesn't have certain... tapes out there."

She shook her head. "You know something kind of funny?"

"What?"

She chuckled. "Other women out there, or men too, I guess... they might look at you, and fantasize about being with you. Some of them might even know what it's like to go to bed with you. But none of them have ever been your fiancée or your wife. And if all they can have is a shadow of you, that's all the more sad for them... because they'll never know this. I'm the luckiest girl in the world because the first time I truly fell in love, the man who won my heart didn't break it. You say that _you_ feel lucky—but I look at you sometimes and I think, _He could have had anyone, and yet he chose me._ And that's what feels so impossible. That _you_ haven't woken up and looked at me and decided that life would be easier with someone else."

He shook his head. "Who else could possibly make me this happy?" he murmured. "My relationship with you has been the purest form of joy I've ever felt. I feel like a better person with you. I see the love in your eyes and I want to make myself worthy of it."

"But you always have been," she whispered, moving forward to rest her forehead against his, still cupping his cheek. "And when you look at me, when you love me, there is no one else. There never could be. You are everything."

His lips met hers, and they kissed until they were breathless; she pressed herself against him, and it was only when they parted that she realized she was shivering in the cooling water.

"Hey," Ned murmured, his lips brushing her cheek. "You know what?"

"I know that a bunch of places in the city deliver," Nancy said with a smile in her voice. "I mean, unless you had your heart set on going out..."

"I vote," he replied, "that I call in an order... and then I take my fiancée to bed and warm her back up."

She brushed a kiss against his cheek. "Sounds perfect."


	5. Chapter 5

Their date was for eleven-thirty at Tavern at the Park. Ned's driver pulled up outside ten minutes early, and Ned checked his outfit before he slid out of the backseat. His charcoal slacks and fine-wool russet sweater weren't overly formal, but they weren't casual; his shoes were fine Italian leather, and he wore a Patek Philippe watch on his wrist, perfectly synchronized. His overcoat kept him insulated from the early November chill, but a freezing mist was falling, so Ned's steps were quick as he hurried into the restaurant.

Ned could feel gazes on him when he entered, and knew he was being sized up by businessmen and the rest of the lunch crowd—and he was equally sure he didn't care. "Reservation for two, under Nickerson. I'm a few minutes early."

The hostess tapped on the screen in front of her a few times, her expression almost flat with concentration, then looked up at him with a smile firmly in place. "Of course. Would you prefer to sit at the bar until the rest of your party arrives, or to select a table?"

A seat at the bar was tempting for a few reasons, but Ned didn't give in to temptation. "I'll take a table, please."

Carson Drew looked around the restaurant when he arrived seven minutes later, his salt-and-pepper hair damp from the rain, and Ned raised a hand in greeting. His fiancée's father had requested the meeting, and had made it very clear that his daughter was not to be in attendance. Ned had agreed, and he had managed to avoid asking Nancy if she knew anything about the reason—but that hadn't made him any less nervous.

"It's good to see you, sir."

Carson smiled as he hung up his coat and took a seat opposite Ned. "Miserable day, but at least we have a nice view. I had been meaning to try this place; I've heard a lot of good things about it."

"The service has been very prompt so far."

The waiter arrived to take their drink orders, and Ned took his cue from Carson, who ordered an iced water. Ned ordered the same.

When they were alone again, Carson steepled his fingers in front of him. He was dressed for court, in a well-tailored suit, and the effect was a little intimidating—but of course it was meant to be. Seeing him that way made Ned mentally shift gears; it was too easy to go into the mindset that he used during certain business meetings, anticipating a game of cat and mouse, trying to keep the upper hand while keeping his opponent from becoming alarmed.

"I wanted to clear the air, before our Thanksgiving dinner. A few matters have come to my attention that I found rather—troubling."

Ned swallowed hard, forcing himself to keep his gaze on Carson's face. He recognized the dressing-down tone, and he wasn't looking forward to what would come next. "Sir?"

Carson smoothed his tie, releasing a silent sigh. "I find it distasteful to even talk about this, but I find it unavoidable. I was told that you—that certain activities, in which you were a participant, were recorded and later distributed via at least quasi-illegal means."

Ned would have found the way Carson phrased it funny, had anyone else been in his place. "Yes," he confirmed, after taking a breath.

"That these recordings show you with multiple partners."

"Yes."

Carson cleared his throat. "Is my daughter aware of this?"

"Yes," Ned repeated. "Nancy knows. I told her—well, she was aware before I asked her to marry me. Another such recording surfaced a few months ago. I'm assuming the publicity around that tape is what came to your attention."

"Not to my attention," Carson clarified. "And I have been told that the recordings are available for viewing, but I haven't done so." He shook his head.

Ned sighed. "I'll contact my lawyer this afternoon," he sighed, trying to make his tone light. "The cease-and-desist letters aren't a hundred percent effective, but they do help. I have never been behind or authorized release of any such recordings."

"But the recordings were made. With your consent."

"Yes."

"And to your knowledge, they weren't doctored."

"They weren't," Ned confirmed. "Not that I know of. I understand that this is probably deeply distressing and likely mortifying to you, and I apologize for that."

"What about for my daughter?" Carson shook his head again. "I can't imagine that she's pleased about it."

The waitress arrived with their drinks, and Ned was grateful for the temporary reprieve. As soon as they had placed their orders and the waitress had collected their menus, Ned took a long sip of water.

"Is my daughter in any of these recordings?"

Carson's voice was quiet, and Ned almost choked on his water before swallowing it. "No. Definitely not. _Definitely_ not."

"Even any that haven't been disseminated."

"I promise you that Nancy and I—no. There are no tapes—of us, no compromising tapes, not even private ones." In the privacy of his own mind, Ned said a silent prayer of thanks that he hadn't taken Nancy up on that nascent offer.

Carson relaxed marginally. "Well, that at least is a relief."

Ned toyed with his rolled silverware. "I apologize," he said. "I've apologized to her, and I'm sorry, sir. None of the recordings were made after she and I began dating. I know that's not altogether comforting, but..." He shrugged.

Carson sighed. "I'm not a monk; I know such things exist. I suppose that in the back of my mind, I knew that your history might be less than spotless. I just wasn't expecting it to come out in quite such a public way." He paused. "You can refuse to answer, but—is there anything else? Anything that might surprise Nancy, or me?"

Ned shook his head. "I'm guilty of the usual youthful indiscretions," he said. "I had the poor judgement to allow some of those indiscretions to be recorded. I'm virtually certain that I don't have any illegitimate children out there, although Nancy and I have discussed that as well. I never wanted to hurt her." Ned swallowed. "Or to embarrass you, or to make you regret allowing me into your family."

Carson took a sip of his water. "I know that Nancy loves you more than she has ever loved anyone else," he said. "I hoped and prayed that when she did settle down, it would be with a good, decent man. My initial judgement of you was that you were that kind of man."

"And I'd hate to contradict it," Ned interjected. "Nancy—she values your opinion as much as her own. I'm sure I don't have to tell you that. I plan on being in her life for a long time, and I'd hate for this mistake to sour your relationship with me."

"And I understand that," Carson said, and ran his fingers through his hair. "But she's my _daughter_. She's my only child, and she is more precious to me than anything. The thought that you might—might treat her that way, if you had treated other women that way..."

Ned opened his mouth, then closed it again without saying anything. He knew a hundred things he could say, but he didn't want to offend Nancy's father. "No, sir."

Carson shook his head. "The most perfect punishment I could ever wish on you," he commented, "is that one day you'll have a daughter. That she will be perfect, the light of your life, the way Nancy is of mine. And then you'll know exactly how I feel right now."

Ned looked down. "She means the world to me," he said. "And if I thought that someone was mistreating her the way you describe, I can completely understand how upset you would feel."

Carson took a long, slow breath. "Well. I'm glad that we were able to get through that without things becoming too unpleasant." He gave Ned a small smile, but Ned could still see the wariness in his future father-in-law's eyes. "Nancy's told me that the wedding plans are still going well..."

The rest of the meal wasn't too stilted—Ned had a lot of experience at getting through a meal, a meeting, a conversation with someone who had at least a mildly adversarial relationship with him, and this didn't feel entirely different—and he was able to put himself on partial autopilot, listening to himself speak and hearing the words Carson was saying without revealing what was going on in his head.

He had known that Nancy was a little old-fashioned—her naïveté in bed and her reluctance to disappoint her father had seemed charming, if a little quaint to him—but he could understand where it had come from, after spending time with her father. From everything he had seen, Carson had never been an overly protective father, not when it came to the mysteries and cases his daughter loved investigating. He had trusted in the way he had raised her, and he had apparently never planned on her meeting anyone like Ned.

But she wasn't a girl of sixteen or seventeen, or a newly-minted adult of eighteen. She was twenty-one years old, and Ned's promised wife. She could, had, and did make her own decisions; she was more independent now than she had been when she and Ned had met the summer before. He knew that Carson would likely shudder, to know what he and Nancy did in the privacy of the bedroom they shared—or elsewhere, when they were alone in the apartment—but Carson had been married once, and Ned and Nancy weren't hiding the fact that they were cohabiting from her father. The mental image Carson's attitude gave him made him smile, but it wasn't with humor. He couldn't shake the feeling that Carson would have been delighted, overjoyed, if Nancy had stayed at home with him forever.

Then again, Ned had never known Nancy's mother, and when he imagined the way he would feel if Nancy died after they had a daughter together, he thought he might understand, a little. If he and Nancy had a sweet little girl like Chloe, and she was a living, breathing, tangible walking memento of her mother.

And if he thought that precious little girl were being led astray by some smirking playboy who saw her as nothing more than a sexual conquest—

But he had thought that he and Carson were beyond that now. He had been serious about Nancy for a long time, and the tapes were old; they reflected a person he no longer was, and no longer wanted to be.

They were new to Carson, though. He would find their existence shocking. Just like he would have been shocked by the way Ned had helped Nancy "relax" after a long study session around midterms. He was trying to look out for his daughter, but Ned couldn't help wondering. If Nancy hadn't already known about the tapes, would her father have taken it upon himself to "warn" her about the man she was marrying? Was there some list in Carson's head of unforgivable sins, land mines for him to find when he tripped over them? Ned already knew that Nancy had an incredible level of faith and trust in her father's opinion. He didn't want to see the stress she would be under if her father expressed doubts about their relationship.

Nancy's father made the first move to pick up the check, once it arrived. Ned took it before he could, slipping his credit card into the faux-leather holder. "Can I speak candidly to you, sir?" he asked, once the waitress had collected it.

Carson nodded. "Please do."

Ned leaned forward, meeting Carson's eyes directly. "I love your daughter," he said. "More than I could ever possibly say. I consider myself an incredibly lucky man. There are no secrets between us. She knows who I've dated, and she knows about those occasional poor choices I've made.

"But nothing means more to me than making her happy and comfortable and safe, with me. The person I was before she and I met—he lived like there was no tomorrow. The person I am now is happy that there _is_ a tomorrow, and that I'll be sharing my life and my happiness with a woman who is more than everything I've ever wanted.

"She _knows_ me. She understands me in a way almost no one else does, and when she was surprised with the same information that prompted you to call me and arrange this meeting, she stood by me. She listened to my side of it instead of listening to the ugly things the paparazzi shouted at her, trying to provoke a reaction. I would have done anything, to atone for embarrassing her and upsetting her the way that news did, but _she_ was the one who wanted to make sure that we were seen together, that we were seen happy and holding hands, and showing the people who would rather have torn us down that we were strong together.

"I'm... I'm thankful to you, sir. Your daughter is an incredible woman, and I know that you're responsible for that. But I'd ask you, respectfully, to respect _her_ judgement. If she were here with me right now, I have no doubt that she would be telling you the same thing. And although I think she would probably be uncomfortable, I'd almost rather she were here.

"There are no more surprises. I love her, and she is as precious to me as air. I see no profit in regretting anything I've done, and she has told me that what happened before she and I met is in the past. What I'm concerned about now is building a life with her. And whatever else my past is, it brought me to her."

The waitress returned with the check and a smile, and Ned returned that smile with a tight one of his own, then calculated the tip and signed it. Carson shifted in his chair, clearly waiting until he had Ned's attention to continue their conversation.

"You do understand," Carson said, his gaze fixed to Ned's face, "that you can give me all the assurances you want, but what I know for sure is what you have been, what you _have_ done. Maybe you don't regret it; maybe you don't want to regret it. But I see a man who has treated sex like—like something less than intimate, like the equivalent of a dare or prank. It wasn't just a momentary lapse in judgement; it happened multiple times. Apparently at least one of the women in question was above the age of consent, but inebriated while under the legal age. You dated Nancy when _she_ was under twenty-one."

He stopped himself then, and Ned swallowed. Carson hadn't come out and asked, but he didn't really need to. It was done and in the past, as far as Ned was concerned, and he didn't feel guilty about letting Nancy or anyone else drink around him, as long as they had been aware of what they were doing and that inebriation hadn't been used against them.

Carson cleared his throat. "Your lack of an immediate denial is at least a point in your favor," he said dryly.

"She's an adult. She's not a child." Ned shook his head. "Need I remind you that our meeting was thanks to her investigating a murder? If anything was a clearer indication that she's not a child..."

"In some ways, she's very mature," Carson acknowledged.

"You trusted her judgement enough to send her to New York to find Kate's killer. I offer her a glass of champagne and suddenly I'm the problem."

Carson's eyes darkened. "She had a career and a future ahead of her," he said. "She meets you and then she decides that she wants to pursue a career as a detective. I saw her future assured; she would have been accepted to a JD program. She still can be. But you've narrowed her view to this _hobby._ "

"What's more important to you, that she's happy or that she's financially secure? Or neither?" Ned's fist was clenched beneath the table. "She has the opportunity to pursue her dreams—"

"Because you're giving her that chance," Carson said.

"Apparently I was the only person willing to support her on it."

Carson shook his head, making a soft frustrated noise. "You don't understand. I saw a legal career as something that could offer her independence and a measure of safety. Lawyers investigate crimes, circumstances, precedent. She wouldn't have been miserable. She wouldn't be miserable, if she decided to stay on the path. I fully believe that."

"And when I asked her why she was doing this, if she was happiest when she was poking around investigating crimes for people, do you know what her answer was? _You_. Not her. She chose her college and her major to make _you_ happy, not herself. You'd rather see her chained to a desk for sixteen hours a day, working her way up the ranks to build the kind of reputation you've had for so long that you can't even remember what it's like. But I know people who are in it, even now. You can't tell me that the misery is worth something. There's no ticket to punch at the end of it. She wants to _help people_. I want to help her do that."

"And without you, she can't." Carson held his hands up when Ned opened his mouth to retort. "Hear me out. The reward you've put in front of her, that if she marries you that you'll give her what she's always wanted..."

The server returned, asking if they wanted refills or anything else, and both of them forced smiles and replied that they didn't. Carson remained quiet until they were relatively alone again.

"What sins will she forgive, with that promise in front of her?" he said, more quietly. "How much will she ignore? I want to believe that she's stronger than that, but she's in love, and you know what you're doing. She doesn't. You swept her off her feet almost immediately, and she's never really been out there on her own... and I don't want her to look back at the choices she's making now and regret them."

"Why would I want her to, either?" Ned asked. "I don't want her to think five years from now that marrying me was the worst mistake of her life, that if only she had known...  because she does. I know I can't guarantee the future to you. And she's so afraid of failing at this. She's afraid of disappointing me, but I think more than that, she's afraid of disappointing you. You're her hero. Seeing you upset with her—she hates it."

"And yet, she's living with you." Carson's mouth was a thinned line.

Ned sighed. "Would you rather we had lied about it?"

"No... I just think it helps to not be so close. After all, nothing between you is legally binding right now."

Ned tapped his finger once against the base of his water glass. "She's in my will right now to receive a third of my estate in the event of my death," he said, keeping his gaze on Carson's face. "After we're married, it will be amended, and she will receive half. Is that legally binding enough for you?"

Carson exhaled. "I didn't know that."

"And I didn't do it for you, or for any sign of solidarity. I filed the papers before I had asked her to marry or commit to me... because what's more important to me than anything is her happiness, and being the kind of man she can be proud to say she's married to.

"As to her career... maybe she will fail. I honestly don't think she will, but it might happen. I can't predict everything." He flipped his hand over so it was open on the table. "What I do know is that until she knows, until she's _tried_ , she will always wonder what might have been. She can always do something else if this doesn't work out. But, sir... you didn't see the happiness, the sheer _joy_ on her face when I suggested it."

He looked down, then back up at Carson again. "When we met, when she and I met, it—it was electric and terrifying and it was as though my life had divided into two parts, the part before I met her, and the part after her. I'm not a new person, and those things in my past, they're done. But what she and I have together, it's more than anything else." He shook his head, frustrated. "I don't know how to say it in a way you'll understand."

Carson's lips had turned up in a faint smile. "I know," he said quietly. "You don't have to say it. I know."

"She and I have already said the words to each other. I've told her that there's no one else, that all she is to me is all I want, and she feels the same way about me. I want to be with her the rest of my life. I want to be with her every day, and I want to keep her safe and happy and secure, and she's told me that she feels that way with me.

"And when you tell me that you'd rather see her exhausted and miserable..."

"Of course not," Carson interjected. "Of course I wouldn't. My reasoning behind this entire conversation was just to make sure that we understood each other. Nancy's mind is her own to make up, and she's decided on you. I don't want that decision to be based on anything that's less than true. As long as you're honest with her, and... as long as I don't see any signs that you're..." He shook his head. "I just hate the thought that she might be hurt. By you or anyone. Surely you can understand that."

Ned nodded. "I do," he replied. "So. Thanksgiving."

"I'll expect to see you there," Carson said, pushing his chair back. "And I look forward to meeting your parents next month."

As soon as Ned was alone in the back of the hired car and on his way back to the apartment, he released a long breath, tilting his head back with a sigh. Thanksgiving was going to be interesting, if nothing else. Telling Nancy about his afternoon was going to be interesting, too.

He felt his phone vibrate against his hip, and pulled it out to check it. He had forgotten to take it off silent mode when he had left the restaurant, and he saw a new voicemail notification.

"Nickerson!" he heard. Cormier sounded too upbeat, which meant he was about to ask for a favor... "Hey, my man! Long time no see, or talk. Look, I thought that if you were going to be in the city in December, you might be able to do me a solid..."

Ned chuckled. Of course.

When his fiancée walked into the apartment that night, she had pulled off her knit cap and mittens, but she was still wrapped in her long scarf and heavy coat. "Whoooo," she announced, shrugging her bag down to the crook of her arm. "I'm home!"

Whenever Nancy walked in with her school bag, she took her laptop and everything she had brought with her to her makeshift study to keep it out of the way, and that was where Ned found her. Her nose had been reddened from the cold, and he helped her out of her coat, taking that and the rest of her outerwear, and she turned a happy smile in his direction. He didn't sense any nervousness in it, so he didn't think she had spoken to her father.

"Hey sweetheart."

"Hey," she said with a sigh, sitting down to take her boots off before she followed him into the living area in her stockinged feet.

"Long day?"

"Yeah," she moaned. "Oh my God. We had a reading quiz in my afternoon class, and everything I remembered totally wasn't on it. I have two reports due tomorrow. _Two._ "

"So quick dinner, and then back at it?"

She shrugged, and then her eyes lit up when she saw the spread Louis had prepared. Roasted pheasant with wild rice and mushroom pilaf, Brussels sprouts in browned butter, and rosemary focaccia. "Wow. Okay, I think this definitely makes up for half of today."

"I have raspberry bread pudding for dessert, if that helps any more," Louis piped up from the kitchen.

Nancy chuckled. "You're an angel."

She went to the bedroom and changed into a pair of soft, stretchy pants—he loved feeling her up while she was wearing them, or just looking at her, in all honesty—and a long-sleeved pink shirt, and over dinner she told him about her day while they ate. He just loved watching her; he loved the light in her eyes, the small movements of her slender fingers as she talked with her hands, the way she mimicked voices of her classmates and teachers. He loved the sound of her voice, and the way just listening to it was enough to draw him in. The diamond he had placed on her finger sparkled there, when she tucked her hair behind her ear or lifted her knife.

He waited until they had sampled their bread puddings and pronounced them excellent, until Louis had tidied the kitchen and left for the night, to ask her to join him on the couch. She had printed out one of her reports, and he had read over it for her; when he had pronounced it brilliant, she had shaken her head and then rewarded him with a kiss.

"When did you say you were out for winter break?"

She licked her spoon clean and swallowed. "The seventeenth. Well, probably the fifteenth, really." She scooped up another bite of the dessert, topped in a dollop of Louis's hand-whipped cream. "I thought we were leaving for Vermont on the twenty-first?"

"Mmm-hmm. Would it break your heart if we left a few days early?"

She raised an eyebrow. "I take it you have something in mind."

"Just a little something. So I have this friend who asked me a favor... and it involves us attending a Christmas gala. It's in New York—on the water, at the Lafevre House."

"Sounds very mysterious."

Ned laughed; he couldn't help it. "Of course your mind would go there," he teased her, leaning over to kiss her cheek. "It's an old house, so I'm sure if you poke around enough, you'll find something mysterious. And if that helps encourage you, all the better."

"But this is going to involve you in a tux?"

Ned nodded. "And you, in a—"

She shook her head immediately, holding up a hand. "My dear, you had me at 'tux.'"

Ned laughed again, then leaned in to kiss her earlobe. "I can just see you, that creamy-white skin against burgundy velvet..."

She groaned. "I'll have you call Sienna," she said. "She has _exhaustive_ measurements. God, I'm just afraid that the next time she gets near me, I'll be in dresses for four hours again."

"I thought you loved your dress."

Her eyes immediately widened. "Oh, I do! I do. Ned, it's beautiful. I just... I just get fidgety. She flutters around me and stares at me and I feel like—I don't know what it's like. It's like I'm not me anymore, I'm just a body in a dress. And I just take a deep breath and I think that it'll all be worth it when you see me in it for the first time."

Ned's heart turned over a little. "I can't imagine it," he murmured. "I can't imagine how incredible it's going to be."

She gave him a small smile. "I mean, you, you practically wear a tux to dinner every other night. I guess it won't be that different for you. There is no equivalent."

"Well, there is, a little," he said, and gently traced the back of his finger down her jawline. "I'll put on my tuxedo and I'll know that soon I'll be seeing you, that soon we'll be married. And that will make it the best morning of my life. The best day of my life."

Her smile widened into a grin, and she leaned forward to press a kiss against his lips. "I hope it is," she said softly. "I really do. I love you so much, Ned."

He let his fingertips drift down her side. "I love you too," he murmured against her lips. "I need to talk to you, but if you need to work..."

She glanced over at her laptop, then back at him. "Well, I won't be able to concentrate _now_ ," she murmured. "What did you need to talk about?"

"I had lunch with your father today," he said softly. "He found out about the tape. The tape _s_ , I should say. He was worried for you."

Nancy blushed deeply. "He didn't say anything to me," she murmured. "I guess I should be glad about that. That must have been awful."

He shrugged. "Well, it definitely wasn't the most fun I've ever had, but at least I'm still invited to Thanksgiving."

She was searching his eyes. "I can just imagine," she murmured. "I'm sorry."

"He wanted to make sure that I had told you. And I understand... that he's already upset that I'm taking his little girl away from him, but now... I don't know if he would ever have thought I was good enough for you, but now he definitely doesn't."

She sighed, looking down, and when her gaze came back up to his, her eyes were full of tears. "I think I'm the best person to decide that," she murmured.

"But he's afraid you're blinded by your feelings for me. That you can't be reasonable when it comes to this... that the offer I made to you, to help you with your own agency, means you'll turn a blind eye to anything else."

She stood rapidly, wrapping her arms about her waist, a tear sliding down her cheek. "God," she muttered, shaking her head as she paced a tight rectangle. "Ned, are you—you... are you upset with me?"

He stood slowly, his gaze locked on her. "Not unless I should be," he said, his tone neutral.

She sniffled, reaching up to wipe the tear away. "I didn't even _want_ you to help me," she said, her voice rising in a sob. "Remember?"

"Of course I do," he said soothingly. "Nan, I'm not mad at you."

She sniffled again. "If your love and support hadn't been behind it—Ned, it's not like that, not at all. I promise you."

He reached out and gently took her arm. "I didn't say it was," he said. "Just that he was afraid of it. Please just calm down, okay?"

She shook her head, and he reached for her other arm, so that she slowed her steps. "It's not like that," she said, and blinked another tear down her cheek. "I just..."

He leaned down and kissed a tear away. "I want you to know that I love you," he said.

"And I love you," she replied, searching his eyes. "I love you so much."

"Nan... I feel like we've been honest with each other. I know it bothered you—I know it bothers your dad. I told him today that there's nothing else, and I swear to you, there's nothing else, there will be nothing else. I don't know how to make it up to you..."

She reached up and gently cupped his face in her hands, brushing her thumbs against his lips to silence him. "The best way... Ned, it's done and it's over. The best way is to just never do this again. We're moving forward, okay? And it's toward what we both want... or at least I've always hoped it was. Isn't it?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I just.... I don't ever want you to not be honest with me. I don't want... I don't want to think that you'll just ignore something..."

She shook her head. "I know I'm not very experienced at this whole being in love thing, at least not with anyone else... but I'm accustomed to speaking my mind. I try to, anyway." Her gaze went to his lips. "And sometimes... almost all the time, really, I look at you and I love you and I want you, and I just feel sweetness and joy, so much joy that I don't think I'll ever find the end of it. And you are all you have been, but inside you is all you'll ever be too, and you're the man who loves me, the man I love. I love _all_ of you. And a life without you... I can't bear the thought of it, but that doesn't mean I'll just... just roll over and take it, if something happens I don't like."

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her a little closer. "Mmm," he murmured. "I seem to remember that it took you a while to tell me what you liked in bed."

She smiled, her cheeks coloring a little again. "That's different," she murmured.

"Mmm." He leaned forward and kissed the soft skin just beneath the point of her jaw. "In the interest of making sure I don't distract you from your studies... did you say you had another report, or can I take you to bed, beautiful?"

"Hmm. Well, I..." She tilted her head as he nuzzled against her neck. "Shit. We should stop..."

"Should..." He brushed his lips against hers, then kissed her, his tongue sliding between her lips, feeling her melt in his arms. "Mmm... well. Why don't I make a few phone calls and let you get some work done, then."

She made a soft noise of protest when he began to release her, and he smiled as she tipped her head again. "One more," she murmured.

He made it a long, slow, deliberate kiss, and he felt her lashes brush his cheek, felt her fingers comb through his hair. The kiss became another, and when he pulled back, he saw stars in her beautiful eyes.

She was clearly reluctant to leave him, and her steps were slow, but she went back to her study and Ned called Cormier to say they would be at the gala. Then he called his parents. They already knew about the tape, although Ned had let his father handle telling his mother. He just hadn't been able to tell her outright.

"Ned! So lovely to hear from you, darling. Tell me you've changed your mind, and you and Nancy will be here for Thanksgiving."

"Sorry, Mom." Ned smiled. "We're still going to be here, although the meal may not be quite as... easy, as I was hoping."

"Oh." Ned could hear the volume on the television on her end, the nightly news, and the sound growing softer as she thumbed it down. "I take it something happened... with her father?"

"Yeah," Ned said softly. "He found out about..."

His mother exhaled softly. "About something you would rather he not know about," she filled in. "Oh, honey, I'm sorry."

"I survived that conversation," he said, keeping his voice light. "And it's okay, and he's still looking forward to meeting you guys, so I suppose I didn't totally screw things up."

"You are very charming when you want to be," she said.

"Speaking of being charming... you think Granddad might want to dust off his tux? I was invited to a gala at the Lafevre House about a week before Christmas, and I thought it might be fun. Nancy and I will be going."

"That does sound like fun. Maybe we could all go. Spend a day or two in the city and have a little trip. Maybe finish up some last-minute Christmas shopping."

After they had chatted about it for a few more minutes, Ned glanced over his shoulder. Nancy was still in her study, and Ned went to the bedroom. All the candles had been put away after the last time they had used them to set the mood, and Ned glanced through the open blinds before lowering the blackout shades.

"Do you and Dad disapprove of my living with Nancy, before?"

"Hmm. So he brought that up too, did he," Ned's mother said quietly. "Boy, you must've gotten an earful today. I think it would be different if this were your first serious relationship, or if you were younger, or if you weren't so obviously in love with her. And you're also not a daughter, and not a daughter who failed two of those three requirements. Poor Mr. Drew."

Ned chuckled. "I... well, I can't fault him for wanting to protect her," he said. "And after this report of my past irresponsible behavior, now he just thinks I'm going to do that again... and I guess part of what I'm trying to say is that I could use some good press."

"We'll just have to do what we can, to show off the generous, sweet, intelligent man we know you are," she said. "I'm sorry you're upset, honey. And speaking as someone who has dealt with in-laws for quite a while now... you're marrying her, and in a way you're marrying her family, but she's the one who's important. Is she upset?"

"No. Not... not about that, at any rate. She was a lot more upset when she found out about the lunch I had with her father, and how that went."

"Then I think you'll be all right."

After he and his mother said goodnight, Ned prepared for bed, lit some candles—Nancy seemed to be in the mood, even if they needed to wait a little while—and took his laptop to bed while he waited for her to finish her work. He smirked when he saw a new email from the Bennett Group, detailing the performance of their investments, and imagined thanking that group of mostly bastards in a toast at his wedding, for prompting the introduction to his future wife. Another guy he knew had sent him a tip on a stock he had a good feeling about, and Ned was researching it when Nancy walked into the bedroom and closed the door.

"All finished?"

She nodded, yawning as she pulled the elastic out of her ponytail and ran her fingers through her hair. "Yeah. I thought I might be a little too exhausted to get up early in the morning to finish, so it's all done now." She gave him a smile as she went to the bathroom, and he heard her brushing her teeth.

She came to bed in a short nightdress; the material was dark purple and it buttoned down the front, and it was sleeveless, too. She had told him that because he was so warm when he slept, anything more left her burning up, but she liked snuggling with him too much to do anything else—and in all honesty, half the time she ended up sleeping naked anyway. Ned put his laptop down beside the bed as she joined him in it, and she yawned again as she set her alarm on her phone and plugged it in.

"I asked Mom and she said we might just all go as a group to the gala," he told her. "Granddad and everyone. I thought that would be nice."

She smiled. "That does sound nice," she said, and yawned again as she sank down onto the pillows. Her eyes were still open, but she looked tired.

"You look like you're about to pass out."

She shook her head, then gave him a slow smile. "I'm sorry. I'm pretty worn out, but I do still want to have sex. If that's all right."

"C'mere," he murmured, sliding down too, and she rolled toward him, cuddling against his side. She nestled her head against his shoulder and he stroked her hair back from her cheek.

"I love you."

She brushed her lips against his collarbone. "I love you too," she said softly. "And I want you to know that no matter what, you're more than good enough for me, okay?"

He gently stroked his palm down her back. "That's all that's important to me," he told her. "I don't want to disappoint you or hurt you. And I'm going to do what I can to show your father, and you, really, that you shouldn't be worried about something like that happening again."

She moved her arm so she could stroke her palm down his chest. "I'm not worried about it," she said, tilting her head back so she could look up into his eyes. "I mean, I want to be exciting enough for you—"

Ned chuckled, tilting his head down to kiss her. "Baby, you're _definitely_ exciting enough for me," he said. "I don't think I could bear much more excitement."

She chuckled too. "You know what I mean."

"I do, and you are. What you said earlier, about feeling so much joy that you feel like you'll never see the end of it? That's how I feel about you, too... so please, don't worry about that. We don't need to make a sex tape to spice things up. You're already spicy all by yourself."

She giggled. "I really don't feel like I am," she said, though the smile still lingered on her face. "I feel really naive. Like you have to put so much time into just teaching me..."

"And how is that a bad thing?" he murmured, then shifted so she was on the bed and he was propped up beside her. He reached for the first button of her gown and found that it actually did unfasten. "Besides, you're a quick study, Drew. And you definitely get an A for effort."

She smiled again, reaching up to run her fingers through his hair as he unfastened her gown to just between her breasts, then lower. He gently stroked his fingertips down the flesh he had revealed, and felt her rise a little under him. Her lips parted when he parted the fabric a little more, to reveal the flesh between her breasts, and then he kissed the hollow between her collarbones, slipping his hand beneath the gown to cup her bare breast as he began to kiss his way down.

"Mmm," she murmured. "Oh, that's nice..."

He chuckled against her breastbone. "Nice?"

"Mmm." She drew her leg up as he ran the ball of his thumb over her tight nipple, feeling it spring back. "I love when you do this."

"And this?"

Her moan of pleasure when he drew her nipple into his mouth and began to suckle and tease it was all the answer he needed. He moved his hips between her open legs and caressed her other breast while he suckled, then switched off, and he felt her inner thighs brush against his sides as she moved restlessly in answer. When he moved back and looked down at her, her gown was barely at the points of her shoulders, her breasts were bare, and her lashes were low.

"Good?"

She nodded slowly. "Mmm... more?"

He smiled and lowered himself to her again, moving so his abs were pressed between her open legs, so the head of his cock was barely brushing against her through their clothes whenever she rocked against him. He used his teeth against the tight tip of her breast, pinching her other nipple, and she gasped sharply, moaning when she felt his erection under his clothes. She kept one hand in his hair, her other drawing meaningless designs against his shoulder blades. He kissed the tender undersides of her breasts, circled her nipples with his tongue, and smiled at her every moan.

"God," she whispered. "Oh my God, I feel so wet for you..."

He reached the lowest opening on the gown, then shoved it up above her hips, kissing a path over her bare belly. She wore green and white-striped underwear trimmed in lace, and he kissed her hips, inching the fabric down a little, until it barely covered the join of her thighs.

She whispered his name, and when he nuzzled against her through her panties she shuddered, letting out a sigh. "Yes," she moaned, and when he inched her panties down a little more he heard her pant in anticipation, but he didn't pull them off. Instead he moved back up, lowering his hips to hers, and her legs were parted wide. She jerked when his erection pressed against her, her brow knitting.

"Yes?"

"Yes," she begged, her cheeks flushed as he rubbed against her. "Oh God..."

He kissed her, grinding against her through their clothes, and she was responding eagerly to him, her legs parted wide, gasping as she dragged her nails against his back. She was always more relaxed when their lovemaking began slow, the way they had learned to be together, when she was the one who took the next step. Her tongue slipped against his as she found his hand, guiding it to the side of her panties. He pushed them down a little with his thumb and she groaned, gasping as he moved against her again.

"Beautiful," he whispered, and she extended her leg to let him slip the garment down a little. "I love you so much."

She pushed the other side of her panties down too, and when he slipped them off she was still barely dressed in her nightgown, but she pulled that off too and laid back down. Her skin was golden in the flickering candlelight, so smooth and warm beneath his touch, the folds of her sex flushed-pink with arousal. He moved back over her and she reached for his underwear, gently slipping them down enough to free his cock, and she glanced down at his erection.

"Mmm," she whispered, and shivered a little. "I love you too."

He slowly lowered himself to her, and she shivered again when his erection came in contact with her sensitive flesh. Her lashes fluttered down, her lips parting, and he kissed her temple. "Shh," he whispered. "You want to be on top?"

She shook her head, making a soft pleading sound, then opened her eyes again. "I love the feel of your weight on me," she whispered.

He kissed her again, slowly, letting her relax under him as he gently stroked his thumb over her breast, fondling her nipple. He stroked his tongue against hers and she stroked her fingertips against the small of his back, over the curve of his ass.

"Still tired?" he whispered, when he broke the kiss.

She smiled. "I might be able to stay awake a few more minutes."

He kissed her breasts and her nipples; he kissed her belly button, her hips, her inner thighs, the flesh just above the slit of her sex. He bent her knees and parted her legs wide; he ran his fingertips just over her outer lips, not quite touching the sensitive flesh between, and she groaned, shifting her hips.

"Just wanted to make sure you were still wet," he murmured, smiling before he kissed her belly button again. "I know your panties were..."

She was still blushing, though he wasn't sure if it was thanks to arousal or self-consciousness, or both. "I never knew what it was to feel this way before you," she whispered. "God, this feels so good..."

He kept stroking her without touching her inner lips, in teasing brushes of his fingertips, pressing against her skin to part her and then releasing her so her own skin was stimulating her clit, and she shivered under him. "Ned," she groaned. "Oh God..."

He kissed her jaw, her neck, and her fingertips fluttered. "So you like this," he murmured, still stimulating her without directly touching her clit. He pressed down from the top of her sex and she cried out as he stimulated the base of her clit that way, and her cheeks were flushed more warmly.

"God," she gasped, tilting her hips back and forth, and she kissed him as he kept teasing her. The trick was to make her wet and aroused and ready for him, but if he stimulated her too much, she would reach her orgasm before he was even inside her, and he didn't want that.

And if he didn't directly touch her, not yet...

"Ned," she whimpered, shuddering when he suckled against each of her nipples one last time, then moved over her. He made a V with his fingers and rubbed them up and down the sides of her sex and she writhed, her brows knit. "Oh God, oh please..."

"Yes," he breathed, then brushed one fingertip lightly against her clit.

She arched immediately, sobbing out a cry, her breath warm against his cheek as he repeated the motion and she cried out again. He could smell her arousal now, could feel it slippery against his fingertip as he gently stroked her again.

"Nancy," he whispered, and she shivered. "Touch me, baby. Show me how you want me to move inside you."

She moaned, and he moved back to gaze into her eyes as she gently wrapped her fingers around his erection. Her first few strokes were gentle, tentative, her touch light. He kept gently stroking her too, brushing his fingertips against her slick inner lips in the lightest strokes, without guiding his fingers down to the hollow between her legs. She couldn't breathe without making a sound; she spoke in sighs and whimpers of pleasure, and she made her strokes against his cock shallow, straying a little further with each caress. Her hips jerked as he gently circled her clit with his thumb, and she ran the ball of her thumb around the head of his cock, her teeth sinking into her full lower lip for an instant as her gaze dropped to his own lips.

He kissed her and she wrapped her other arm around him as they kept touching each other, their skin damp with perspiration, every caress provoking another shiver. Her tongue flicked against his; slowly she reached the base of his cock, and then she gave him a gentle squeeze, clasping him in an imitation of the tightness of her slick inner flesh against his erection. His hips gently rocked, and she gasped against his kiss as he drew one fingertip down, toward where she was wet and ready for him.

"Honey," he gasped, swallowing as she pumped him once in her fist, then angled him toward her, her legs still spread wide in invitation.

"Yes," she whimpered. "Please, yes."

She released a strangled choked cry when he moved the head of his cock just inside her. The way she responded to him—God, there was no hiding, no stifling. Everything, to her, was new; everything with her was new. She tensed when he moved, relaxing a little when he pulled back, and then she tipped her chin back down and gazed into his eyes, her lips parted. "Ned," she whispered.

"Yeah," he whispered. "Just like that, honey."

She folded her legs up around him, and he kissed her, feeling her gasp against his kiss as he gently began to move in and out of her, a little deeper with each thrust, shivering at how good it felt to fuck her bareback. Oh, she was so gloriously slick, and he shifted his weight so he could rub against her clit as he moved inside her.

She cried out, gasping, trembling under him, and he nuzzled against her neck, nipping against her shoulder. "Oh my God, oh my _God_ ," she whimpered, her voice becoming gasped cries as he worked inside her.

"You feel so good," he growled. "Oh God, so incredibly good..."

Her hips bucked on his next thrust, and she whimpered again. "Holy _shit_ ," she groaned. " _Mmmmmm_..."

"Yeah," he growled, and she tensed underneath him when he moved fully inside her. She bucked when he rubbed his thumb hard against her clit, sobbing as she gasped for breath, arching against him. Her nails raked against his back as he moved out of her, then thrust smoothly back into her.

"Ned," she sobbed. "Oh _fuck_..."

"Yeah," he murmured, and she was tight and sweet and perfect around him as he thrust into her. "So good, baby. God, your pussy feels so good..."

"You feel so good," she whimpered, and he felt her clench and release around him on his next thrust. "Oh God!"

He made his next thrust faster, a little more rough, and she jerked under him, her hips rocking. He was distantly aware that her heels were against his back, that she was tightening her grip on him at the deepest point in every thrust even as she writhed under him, and she tightened in a quick spasm against him again.

He moved in her until her whimpers and cries built into screams, until she was arched so the crown of her head was against her pillow, until she seemed to move only in reaction to his thrusts. She was chanting "Oh God oh _God_ " over and over, her voice desperate, her hips jolting with his thrusts, and when she sucked in a quick breath and let it out in a scream so high it was almost silent, his thumb digging against her clit and her inner flesh tight around him, Ned groaned and finally, finally let himself come inside her.

She was panting, her skin damp with sweat, when he collapsed to her. He could feel her heart speeding against his, and her legs fell open; she groaned when she tipped her chin down again, coughing as she tried to catch her breath. "Oh my God," she moaned.

"Yeah," he agreed, still panting too. "Holy shit."

After a moment, she brought her hand up and stroked it down his bare back. "Mmm," she murmured. "That was so good, Ned."

He smiled. "You bet it was," he murmured, kissing her temple before he moved back. She hissed softly as his cock moved against her inner flesh, then moaned softly as she pulled her legs together. She opened her legs again when he returned to her with a cloth, and once he had cleaned her up she pulled the covers up over her, releasing a contented sigh.

"Ned?" she whispered, when he slid into the bed beside her.

"Mmm?"

She kissed the center of his chest. "I love you more than anything else in the entire world," she said softly. "More than there are stars in the sky. And I'll talk to Dad..."

Ned took a deep breath, but he didn't interrupt her, just pressed a kiss against the crown of her head.

"I'll talk to him and I'll tell him that the next time he wants to make sure he's doing what's best for me... I'd appreciate it if I were allowed to be there while he does." She tipped her head back. "I know he's just trying to look out for me... and I can't be mad at him for that. I can't. I hate that he made you upset, though."

He gave her a slow, wide grin, brushing her hair back from her cheeks, then kissed her again. "How could I be upset," he murmured. "I just had sex with my gorgeous future wife, the woman I love... who, if she's not careful, is going to be totally exhausted tomorrow morning."

"Oh?"

He kissed her again. "Unless you set your alarm early enough for me to wake you myself..."

She giggled, arching as he slipped his leg between hers. "Is that what our honeymoon will be like?" she murmured, running her fingers through his hair as he embraced her. "Like this summer all over again, with another ring on my finger..."

"Without dreading August," he murmured, and kissed her cheek. "Without counting the days, the minutes, until we have to be apart again..."

She smiled just before she tilted her head and kissed him again. "Sounds absolutely perfect."


	6. Chapter 6

Nancy checked her watch as the students around her began packing up their books and supplies. Her stomach had been a little queasy all day, and even though it was time for lunch, nothing really seemed all that appetizing, at least nothing nearby. The professor had even let them out a few minutes early, which meant George probably wouldn't be free for lunch for another ten minutes.

She pulled out her phone just in case George had been let out early too, but the screen was blank. She sighed, then strode briskly toward the food court, shivering in her coat. The weather was shitty, and a lot of the students around her were grumbling about possible delayed flights and terrible road conditions.

She wasn't so worried about road conditions. She knew that Ned would happily rent a snow plow and offer to drop Bess and George off at their parents' homes before they went to her father's house for Thanksgiving.

But _that_ was what was making her nervous. Thanksgiving.

A few days earlier, Nancy had called her father and talked to him. It had been a little mortifying to know that he _knew_ about the tapes of Ned with other women, and that he had talked to Ned about it. It had somehow been even more mortifying than when she had admitted to her father that she and Ned were having sex, albeit safe sex. Her father had told her that he just wanted what was best for her, and that if she was happy, he was happy, and Nancy's protests had died on her lips. She loved her father; she trusted his judgement, and since she had been a little girl, she had trusted him implicitly. She had never had reason to doubt that trust.

It had taken her an almost impossible amount of energy to say, her voice trembling a little, "Dad, do you really think I'm with him because he's promised to help me with the agency?"

Her father didn't speak for a few seconds. "I think that a promise like that would color anyone's judgement," he said finally. "Nancy... I realize that I'll never meet a man who I think is worthy of you. I was shocked when I found out about... his activities. I thought that you'd be uncomfortable during our conversation. I'm sorry if I upset you by excluding you."

"You did," she told him. "I understand why you didn't want me there, but... I love him. And the guy who made those bad decisions before we met, he's not that guy anymore. But what hurts the most is that you... that you decided to go behind my back..." Nancy choked up and couldn't go on.

"It wasn't like that," he told her. "I would have talked to you about it afterward."

"To tell me what he'd done? To tell me that you didn't approve of him?"

Her father sighed. "Maybe," he said frankly. "But he handled it in a very mature way, honestly. I've heard it said that the mark of a great man isn't how he deals with success, but how he deals with his mistakes, his failures. And he told me you were already aware of those... indiscretions, before they were publicized."

"I was," she told him. "I am. It wasn't a secret—just the finer details of the—the latest one." She swallowed hard. "Dad, I love him. I'm happy with him. He screwed up, but it's in the past. What concerns me is what he does _now_."

"I agree. But the fact that he had engaged in that kind of behavior in the past with other women, that it was documented—I just hated the idea that he might treat you that way. That you could have waited to find a guy who was worthy of your love and find out that he saw it as nothing more than a casual fling, a cheap gimmick."

"He doesn't, Dad. He's not like that."

"And I'm glad," he told her. "Nancy... you're a strong, brave, intelligent young woman, and I love you very much. For the longest time, I've been your—champion, I guess, is the best way to put it. I know you're planning your wedding, and I know that soon I'm going to need to give up that idea. That you're a little girl who needs my protection.

"But I want you to know that I support you and I love you, no matter what. I think I kind of saw this as one of the last opportunities I'd have to defend my baby girl. I'm sorry if I ended up hurting you instead."

"It... well, it hurt me when I thought that you didn't trust my judgement," she told him. "That you'd do what you thought was best for me, regardless of what I wanted. If you ever want to have a talk like that with Ned again—though I can't imagine that particular set of circumstances coming into play again—I should be there. He's going to be my partner, and I'd—I want you to treat him like that."

"I understand." She heard a little smile in his voice when he spoke again. "I would have respected Ned less if he hadn't been so forthright with me, and if he hadn't made practically that same argument. And part of me is glad to see how much you love him. I always wanted you to find happiness with someone." He sighed. "But part of me just can't get over the fact that I'm going to be losing you."

"You won't be losing me," she had told him. "I'll visit you all the time, and we'll see each other at holidays. I won't be any less your daughter."

"But you'll be Ned's wife. He'll be the person you share your life with. And that's the way it should be. I wouldn't want it any other way."

But Nancy hadn't been home to see her father since that conversation; her classes had been demanding, and his own work had been intense too. Thanksgiving would be the first time Ned and her father were face-to-face since their own awkward conversation, and the first time Nancy would be around both of them with that knowledge in the open.

She had never understood why people had called Thanksgiving and Christmas stressful. They had always been her two favorite holidays. Now, to some small degree, she was beginning to understand. She hated that her fiancé and her father were at odds with each other, and that she was in the middle. She loved them both so much.

The heat washed over Nancy's cold cheeks as she walked into the student union, making her skin prickle. The food court area was bustling with the students left on campus, but many of them had decided to skip their Tuesday classes and head home early. Even the teacher of Nancy's late-afternoon class had called off their meeting, telling them to have a safe vacation, since he knew they wouldn't be able to concentrate in class so close to the break.

Nancy was barely beginning to feel hungry, and had found a good place to keep a vantage point on the approaching crowd to keep a lookout for George, when she felt her phone vibrating in her pocket. She took it out with a chuckle. Her father, Hannah, her aunt, and Ned were pretty much the only people who called her; everyone her own age preferred to text instead.

"Hello?"

"Hey Nan. What time are you out of class today?"

"Uh... one-fifteen. Maybe a little earlier, if the teacher has any mercy on us." She tucked the fingers of her mitten under her chin and tugged her hand out, then put her mitten in her pocket. "Did you want me to call you when I'm free?"

"I think I'll bring the car and pick you up. Unless you're totally exhausted and not up for doing anything."

"Um... well, I'm okay," she said hesitantly. "I mean, I'm not up to two hours of tennis, but I'll get a mocha. What did you have in mind?"

"Just... well, it's something that kind of came up," he said.

"Oh?" She chuckled, raising her eyebrows.

"Does that 'oh' mean you'd be interested in a quickie?"

Nancy caught sight of George's ice-blue winter parka and sighed. "Generally, yes, but I have to grab some lunch before my next class. I'll see you around one-fifteen?"

"Sounds great. Love you."

"Love you too."

During their lunch, Nancy and George talked about the assignments they had to complete over break, whether they were going to hit the Black Friday sales with Bess or sit it out—they both agreed to go, if only for moral support for each other—and whether they were going to see the big movie opening for the holiday weekend. "So when are you heading to River Heights?" George asked, popping a raw almond into her mouth.

Nancy shrugged. "I think tomorrow around lunchtime, if the weather isn't too bad," she said. "Hannah lets me at least pretend I'm helping her, so I don't want to wait until Thursday."

George nodded. "Kind of weird to think that in just over a semester, you'll be married," she murmured.

Nancy looked down at her engagement ring. "Yeah," she said softly, smiling. "But in a good way."

"I'm happy for you," George told her. "I am. And I expect you two to throw a lot of great parties and take a lot of sailing and skiing and scuba diving trips, and to invite me along."

Nancy smiled. "I'll see what we can do."

During her last class of the day, Nancy realized that at least Ned's call had had one unintended effect: she was anticipating whatever was going to happen that afternoon instead of thinking about what would happen the day after. Regardless, her impatience was like a physical ache, and she nearly bolted up out of her chair from the release of the tension when the instructor gave up and told them to have a good break.

Ned's hired car was waiting in a lot near her last class, and Nancy approached it, smiling when Ned opened the door and slid out of the car, then smiled at her. She shivered, sighing in relief when she was cushioned on the heated seat, and shoved her backpack into the floorboard as Ned slid into the car, shivering.

"Hey beautiful."

"Hey," Nancy said with a grin, melting as Ned cupped her cheek and gave her a long kiss. Whatever else happened, at least she and Ned would be able to spend time together over the break, and she was glad for that. "So what's up?" she asked, when he pulled back.

"This morning Nora Preston called me. She knows we're getting married—she called to congratulate me when she saw the announcement—and she decided to be proactive. She's the realtor who found my apartment," he explained. "A house has been put on the market and she wanted me to look at it. I decided that since it will be your house too, I wanted your opinion. I know it's pretty sudden, but is this okay?"

Nancy's eyes widened. She and Ned hadn't really talked about that, and she didn't know why in the back of her head, she had thought they were likely to move to New York. "Oh," she said, her heart beating faster. "I—I had no idea. I wasn't... I mean, sure, it's fine," she said, her head bobbing up and down.

Ned smiled. "I know it's a lot to process," he said.

"I just... you want to stay here?"

Ned nodded. "If you do," he replied, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "It's closer to most of your family and it's a good central location. We'll still have the places in New York and Los Angeles and France, which of course you're welcome to redecorate, or we can find bigger places."

"Your family..."

"Likes to travel. Which does mean we need to find a place big enough to accommodate a lot of guests," he told her with a smile. "And my parents and the rest of my family are just a short flight away."

Nancy smiled. "Thanks," she said. "Wherever we go, where we decide to live, as long as we're together it's fine... but thanks for thinking about me." She began to take her mittens off, then reconsidered. "So where are we going? Should I even bother getting comfortable?"

"Get comfortable. I think it's about fifteen minutes away."

Living near Chicago, with Ned. As she tested the idea, she felt a warmth in her chest and couldn't help smiling at him. Despite the awkwardness with her father, Ned was still willing, even encouraging her to stay near him, when he could easily have made the case that the two of them should find a home in New York. She reached for Ned's hand and squeezed it, then didn't let it go.

When they finally arrived, the hired car turned into the driveway of what could only be called an estate—no, it was more than just an estate. The double gates were already open for them, and Nancy saw a communication system mounted near the gate so guests could call the house to unlock the gate. As they came around the driveway, Nancy saw the house silhouetted against the gray winter sky, and couldn't help gasping. The driveway wrapped around a large fountain, and on the other side she saw a large two-story home, windows ablaze in welcoming golden light.

It wasn't a house. It looked like a palace.

A sleek Mercedes was parked near the entrance, and when the driver brought their car to a stop and Ned slid out to offer Nancy his hand, she saw a figure pull open the tall, imposing front door. "Welcome!" the woman called with a smile. "Hope you didn't have any trouble finding it."

Nancy was pretty sure her mouth was still agape as she stood looking up at the house. She had known that any home he considered would likely be lavish and beautiful, but this was beyond her wildest dreams.

"Come on inside."

Ned held her hand as they came up the front steps, the hint of snow in the air leaving cool prickles against Nancy's skin. "Ms. Preston, this is Nancy Drew, my fiancée," he said. "Thank you for calling me about the property."

"I took the liberty of calling to set up a few more showings, but I have to say, this truly is a steal. I usually advise people to take their time, see a lot of properties so they can make up their minds, but..." She sighed happily as she closed the door behind them. "This is the kind of place that only comes along once or twice in a lifetime."

Just the entrance hall made Nancy nervous. The floor was polished, gleaming marble lain with a few plush rugs. _A drunk guest or a toddler would just have to make one bad step,_ she thought, and then shook her head a little. The interior of the house was a masterpiece, she had to admit. High ceilings, all perfectly color coordinated, and ornate and impossibly beautiful.

"The house was built seven years ago, but it's been extensively renovated," Ms. Preston said, and Nancy's eyes widened. _Only seven years?_ she thought. The place looked like it had been transported piece by piece, a summer palace from a French countryside. "They spent twice as much as the asking price on all the renovations; that's why I say it's a genuine steal."

Then the realtor told Ned and Nancy the asking price, and Nancy was pretty sure her heart stopped. Ms. Preston didn't even say the word "million." Then again, she didn't have to.

"The property as a whole is twenty-seven thousand square feet," she continued, taking a few steps into the house.

_Twenty-seven_ thousand? Nancy mouthed, glancing up at Ned with wide eyes. Her father's house was large and comfortable; it would be dwarfed by this house. The _garage_ alone was probably bigger.

Each room was more impressive than the last. Five-car garage, a beautiful dining room, a large kitchen that Nancy noted with disappointment didn't have the industrial touches Louis preferred, an oversized sunroom Ms. Preston called a "Florida room," a fully finished basement complete with a recreation room _and_ a theater boasting oversized padded seats and a large screen. The great room alone was the size of an entire floor of her father's house. The house had five bedrooms and seven bathrooms, a butler's pantry, a library, a study, a den, an office and a separate exercise room, an elevator, a laundry room that by itself was practically as big as Nancy's bedroom at home, separate dressing rooms for each of them off the master retreat... and Nancy's head was spinning when the realtor suggested that they take a look at the pool house.

Just the _pool house_ was two thousand square feet, and it would be perfect for entertaining guests. Permanent pool cabanas were set up.

The property was beautifully manicured, even on the cusp of winter, but it boasted little lawn that hadn't been perfectly groomed and landscaped. If their children wanted to play, she didn't know where they would. Certainly not outside. And inside, the whole house felt like a beautiful spread from a glossy magazine: incredible to see and visit, but impossible to live in. She couldn't imagine wearing a tank top and yoga pants at the enormous dining room table. She couldn't imagine cleaning it herself, or running it without a comprehensive staff.

"So? What do you think?" Ned asked, after their tour.

The realtor smiled at them. "I'll just make a call while you two talk about the house, if that's okay. If you have any questions, please let me know."

She had offered him the information sheets about the house, and Nancy bit her lip as she looked down at the sheets of paper. "What do _you_ think?" she asked Ned.

"You first. And please be honest. Are you in love with it? Are there things you would change? I'm looking for a place where we will be happy for years, and I'm fine with making some updates or modifications if we find a place that needs them. But I want you to be happy and comfortable with the decision, and I know it's a lot to consider on the spur of the moment."

She searched Ned's eyes and swallowed hard. "I—I think this place is beautiful and I can't imagine living here," she said quietly. "I mean, maybe I'll change my mind—but it's _so much_ and there's no place to play outside, not really, and it... I..." She shook her head. "It's _so much_ money."

Ned nodded. "And there's no indoor basketball court."

She expected him to give her a teasing grin, but he didn't, and she raised her eyebrows. "Huh?"

"For the money, I would've expected one." Then he gave her a smile. "It has a lot of nice features, but it's not very green or energy efficient. Very enclosed; not a lot of natural light except in the sunroom. No solar panels or renewable solar cells that could be used to power a generator." He shrugged. "It is beautiful, I agree with you there, but it's meant for entertaining, not a family. I want us to have both."

"And an indoor basketball court."

"Technically a half-court, but yeah." He smiled and took her hand.

They talked to Ms. Preston about their wish list, and the next house they visited, Ms. Preston gushed when she gave them the address, was a feat of modern engineering and sustainable technology. And then they pulled up at the place, and despite the Home For Sale sign in the yard, Nancy couldn't believe it could be the property they were looking for.

"It looks like an office building," she said before she realized she was actually talking out loud. Ned chuckled at her before he opened her door and ushered her out.

That first impression, of stark industrial design, didn't leave her. The walls were glass, and she recognized what Ned had meant when he talked about energy efficiency and taking advantage of natural light—but the house still felt uncomfortably visible to the outside. The furniture was blunt and functional too. It looked like it belonged in an upscale corporate compound, to be used during offsite conferences and retreats.

Nancy managed to keep from voicing her thoughts, but she was pretty sure Ned saw what she felt on her face. "Maybe you'll like the next one," he suggested, squeezing her hand, when they went back to the hired car.

"Did you love it?" she asked anxiously.

Ned shook his head. "I admire the idea, and I wouldn't mind a loft designed that way; it would fit better. But I'm looking for a home. And that place... it didn't feel like a comfortable, welcoming place to me."

The next house, Nancy had to admit, was closer to the idea that was forming in her head. It was in a more central location, another two-story, renovated, but at least it was older and had some neat architectural details. The house was separated from a moderately well-traveled street by a row of tall, thick hedges, and it boasted a pool too. But it had no real yard. The back yard at Nancy's house had been her playground during the summers when she was growing up, and while she had never considered herself to have much of a green thumb, she still liked the idea of at least having space to ask a gardener to come in and possibly landscape a part of the yard into a garden. When they went back out to the car, Nancy looked at the shape of the house against the fading sky and frowned thoughtfully. While the rooms were well-appointed, the front of the house wasn't terribly impressive or even interesting.

"It was better," she told Ms. Preston. "Closer. It just..." She shook her head, unable to quite put her finger on it.

"It doesn't quite have everything," Ned finished, and squeezed her hand.

"Well," Ms. Preston said, glancing between her cell phone and the sheaf of papers in her hand. "I have one more potential property, and I know of two more that will be on the market pretty soon after the holiday. I think we can squeeze one more showing in, if that's okay with you two. The holidays are such a busy time, after all."

"One more is okay," Nancy said, glancing up at Ned, who nodded. In honesty, her energy was flagging some. She felt like she had been awake for a day and a half, and her stomach was growling.

Ned noticed, and had their car's driver go through a coffee shop's drive-thru to buy some snacks and coffee, and Nancy perked up immediately. She was feeling almost human again when the driver turned into another subdivision just outside Chicago, and against the sunset they saw tall, sprawling houses of brick and stone, carefully trimmed hedges glazed in icy snow. The temperature had dropped as the sun inched toward the horizon, and Nancy was sure to zip her coat as high as she could before they slid out of the car.

The house was set back from the road, the driveway lined with paired trees, and when they pulled up, the windows were golden and aglow. The lines of the house weren't as stern and forbidding as the last house; the front steps were curved, and a half-moon pane of glass was mounted above the tall door.

Ms. Preston had a small frown between her eyebrows when she greeted them, though her manner was still perfectly cordial. "This property has several... unique features," she said, in a way that let Nancy know she didn't approve of them. "During the remodeling process, the couple who owned the house put in some... personal touches. Apparently that involves a couple of secret rooms or passages."

Nancy glanced up at Ned, her eyes dancing. "Oh?" she said, trying to keep her tone casual.

"Yes. And again, if you anticipate renovations, you could use that in negotiations about the price," she said, opening the front door.

Nancy's first impression was warmth and comfort and invitation. The walls were a warm neutral, occasionally boasting a large gilt-framed mirror or a whimsical still life. The foyer wasn't an infinite stretch of gleaming, polished marble promising a probable skull fracture. Two steps inside, Nancy could see the wide, welcoming arch marking the entrance to the large great room, full of plush oversized furniture—and large windows. One looked absolutely perfect for the display of a fully-decorated Christmas tree.

The house had many of the same features as the other homes they had visited, but Ms. Preston went through her breathless account of the home's features anyway. She called it a French Regency estate, and told them that in the backyard they would find a tennis court, a pool with its own separate three-bedroom three-bathroom house, a galley kitchen and changing area for guests; the patio boasted an outdoor living room area along with an outdoor kitchen.

Inside, they found a spacious industrial kitchen with a butler's pantry, a silver closet, and a huge laundry room. The breakfast room near the kitchen looked out onto the patio and into the enormous sunroom, and the formal dining room was large enough to easily handle Ned's parents and grandparents and Nancy's family. They toured the family room, the formal sitting room, the library and study and den, and Ms. Preston told them the home had its own power generator and air cleaner, too. Downstairs in the basement they found the half-sized indoor basketball court that had Ned grinning, along with the sumptuous home theater and entertainment room with a wet bar. The den, family room, and great room boasted fireplaces, and the two guest bedrooms had their own bathrooms and fireplaces, too.

Upstairs, the master retreat was so big Nancy felt like she could lose herself in it. The marble bathroom was beautiful; they would each have their own walk-in closet, and a balcony overlooking the pool area. Nancy noticed when she glanced out onto the backyard that the path between the house and the pool house was covered, and she smiled. Though they had taken the grand, sweeping main staircase up to the second story, the elevator came up to the central area, where the two home offices and the exercise room were. On the other side were two rooms, and Nancy could tell they were meant for children. The walls were painted in softer pastels, and the large windows had window seats and shelves built in. Nancy couldn't help noticing a strange corner built into the wall, and she asked Ms. Preston about it.

The realtor smiled. "Ah, yes. I believe you've found one of the secret passages, Ms. Drew," she replied, and scrutinized the corner. Nancy stepped forward before she could stop herself, and soon she had found the spring-loaded catch. The half-enclosure swung away to reveal a sturdy ladder with wide steps, and a slide.

Nancy gasped in delight, and she heard Ned chuckle behind her. "Happy as a clam," he said.

"Of course," she replied with a grin. "Do you know where it goes?"

"The attic, I believe," Ms. Preston replied. "I..."

The interior was dim, but as soon as Nancy stuck her head through to investigate, a light came on overhead, apparently rigged to a motion detector. Nancy saw a similar panel on the opposite side, one that probably opened into the other bedroom; she tested the ladder with a firm grip, and when it didn't budge, she set her foot on the first step. Then she noticed that the slide continued downward, too, and decided to find out where that went next.

The realtor was right. When she reached the top of the ladder, she pushed and stepped through and found herself in a large, spacious attic, with large windows that looked out over the backyard. Built-in cabinets and shelves looked like they had been made to hold and display toys, and Nancy smiled when she saw a nest of pillows and blankets, like a window seat, arranged near the window. On the opposite side she saw another door like the one she had just come through, and when she opened that, she saw a ladder that likely would deposit her in the master suite. She had to approve. Two potential exits were always better than one.

Ned had just come through the passage from the children's rooms when she turned around. "This is pretty neat, huh?" he commented. "Kind of like that passage at my grandparents' house, but cooler."

Nancy couldn't help grinning. "It's incredible," she said.

"And we still haven't seen everything," he said.

The lower section of the passage opened into the family room, which made sense to Nancy. It didn't extend to the basement of the house, although the elevator did; the basement seemed to be made for adult entertainment, so she understood.

"So," Ms. Preston said. "The owners did not choose to disclose the details, but apparently the home also has a sort of underground panic room. I believe it's also connected to the pool house, in case of emergencies. Would you like to see the pool house?"

Nancy glanced up at Ned. "Yes," she said.

The pool house was one-story, and its layout reminded her of the guest bedrooms in Ned's house in France. Nancy caught herself imagining inviting Ned's grandparents and parents over, and letting them stay in the pool house so they could have their own space; the common area was large enough for a spacious sectional couch and entertainment center, and the kitchen area large enough for a modestly-sized table. The pool was large enough for several guests, and Nancy could just make out the tennis court in the fading light.

"The five-car garage has storage above it," Ms. Preston commented. "Though of course the attic can be used for the same purpose. So? How do you feel about this one?"

Nancy and Ned glanced at each other. Nancy couldn't deny that she was excited about it, but she didn't want it to be just because the house had secret passages. She didn't think that was all, though. The yard was large; the house was large too, and it would require a staff to run it properly, but it was a house she could imagine living in. It also didn't hurt that the asking price was just about half the asking price of the first house they had seen.

"I think, based on how excited my fiancée looks right now, that we're going to say it's on the short list," Ned told the realtor. "We're going to sleep on it, if that's okay?" Nancy gave him a little nod of agreement, and then the realtor smiled.

When they were back in the car together, Nancy couldn't stop grinning. "Oh my God, I just... is it weird that I'm so excited?" she asked him. "That house... I can imagine us being in that house. Or maybe one a lot like it. And I..."

She launched herself into his arms with a small gleeful cry, and Ned laughed as he embraced her in return. "I'm glad you're so happy," he told her, and kissed the crown of her head. "And I'm glad we found something we both like so quickly. Believe me, I've looked for property before and spent weeks doing home tours."

She tipped her head back, still smiling, to gaze into his eyes. "Ned, it has _secret passages,_ " she said, and giggled.

"And a lot of other really nice features," he pointed out, then kissed the tip of her nose. "Including—"

"The basketball court," she finished for him. "It means a lot to me that you actually want to stay around here. But..." She searched his eyes. "Did you want us to look around in New York, too? It's unfair of me to think—I just..."

He kissed her, his lips soft and lingering against hers. "If you want us to look in New York, we will. Anywhere at all you want in the world. I mean it. A loft in Paris, a castle in Scotland, a house in Egypt, a ranch in Australia? Anything you want. Anything at all."

Her eyes were bright as she looped her arms around his shoulders. "I never want to stop traveling with you," she told him. "Everything you just said sounds great, and more. I want to share everything with you. And if you asked me to, I'd go with you anywhere... but I love the thought of having a place here. And if we can keep the apartment in New York so we can stay there when we're in that area, and... I don't know, I feel so... so greedy." She ducked her head.

He smiled and crooked his finger under her chin. "Well, there's no reason we can't keep what we have now, give up the apartment where we live now for a house, and let other people use those other homes when we aren't. The way my life has been, I'm often traveling on the spur of the moment—but with you, we'll be able to plan vacations."

The driver was just pulling into the garage of the apartment house—they hadn't spotted any paparazzi waiting for them in a while, but they weren't taking chances—when Ned's phone rang again. Nancy couldn't help listening to his side of the conversation, and when he hung up the phone, she already had a good idea of what he was going to say.

"So, two houses tomorrow?"

Ned nodded. "I took that nod to mean you were okay with it, but I can call her back and reschedule. And we need to leave the city around eleven, right?"

Nancy nodded. "And that's fine. I can't fall in love with the first house I see, right?"

"Well, the fourth, but yeah," Ned said, sliding his arm around her waist. "And I liked it a lot, too. I'll be honest, Nan... anywhere you're with me, I'll love."

The next day she and Ned looked at three homes, two in a very affluent Chicago neighborhood and another in the suburbs; each was a masterpiece, beautifully landscaped and warmly inviting. The two in the city were tall, three-story homes arranged as private compounds with stunning views of the city skyline. The other home, in the suburbs, had a large yard for children, and even an incredible treehouse in the backyard—one that Nancy could imagine had been delivered and installed by professionals. Other homes were on the market in the subdivision, although Nancy realized that all the homes were isolated, down winding driveways.

Then again, they were their own tiny environments, too, staffed with maids and nannies and likely security personnel. It was a different world, one with gates and an army of staff. River Heights was fairly affluent, but the houses were in older, established neighborhoods, where people waved and greeted each other.

But Ned's fortune meant that the people he loved might be threatened by greedy, immoral people. They would need security, the kind that would be hard to ensure in a close-knit neighborhood.

"So? What did you think?" Ned asked, when they were in the hired car and headed back to the apartment to pick up their luggage and head to her father's house.

Nancy shrugged. "They were nice," she said. "The last one, especially. But I'm still really in love with the one from yesterday."

"That treehouse today was pretty neat, though."

"Yeah... but I don't know. It looked so professional and polished." She shrugged.

"True. It'd be a good birthday present for a kid, though, I think. Paint it like a ship if she likes pirates, or like a castle if he's into knights and dragons."

Nancy smiled. "Exactly," she said happily.

It was easier to talk about the house and their plans for it than what was steadily growing in the back of her mind, while they were on the way to the airport to pick up Nancy's aunt and uncle, their overnight bags in the trunk. She and Ned would be sleeping under the same roof, and Nancy didn't know if her father would insist on Ned taking a guest bedroom, or if she would even be able to sleep if he shared her full-sized mattress with her. Or, if Ned and her father started having an argument, she didn't even know what she _would_ do. She wanted to help Hannah prepare the meal, but she also felt kind of afraid about leaving her fiancé and her father alone together, even while Seth was around to keep them from arguing.

Nancy realized that she had lapsed into silence, and then that Ned was quiet, too. When she glanced over at him, he was starting to turn to look at her, too.

"I'm with you," she said. She wasn't even sure why she was saying it, if he needed the reassurance or if she did. "I'm with you, Ned, and I love you—and I hope the next few days..."

She trailed off, unsure of what to say; he reached up and cupped her cheek, stroking it gently with his thumb. "Me too," he murmured. "I don't know how much it helps, but—he loves you. He loves you very much, and this is how he's shown it. No matter what else, I'm going to keep that in mind. We're on the same side, he and I."

Nancy nodded. "You are," she murmured. "I don't want you two to be at odds with each other. I just don't."

"And maybe it'll take a little time for him to... well, I don't know that he'll forget what he found out anytime soon, but at least now we can start getting past it."

She leaned forward and kissed him. "And maybe he'll take my word for it," she murmured against his lips. "That the guy I fell head over heels in love with isn't a bad guy who only wants to corrupt me and count me as another notch on his bedpost."

"If anything," Ned murmured, tracing her jaw and the nape of her neck, "you are the _last_ , most important notch on my bedpost—in fact, you get an entirely new bedpost all to yourself."

"And a secret passage, and a pool, with room for a paddock out back," she teased him.

"Do you want me to buy you a pony, beautiful? For Christmas? Complete with a braided mane?"

"Mmm. Or a big-girl bike with streamers on the handles," she grinned.

By the time the hired car pulled up in front of the airport, Nancy was feeling better. Nancy left Ned in the car and went into the terminal to the luggage return, and saw Eloise and Seth coming from the gates. Her aunt opened her arms with a wide grin.

"If it isn't my favorite niece! You look so sophisticated, sweetheart."

Nancy chuckled, glancing down at her dark wool peacoat, soft rust-colored cowlnecked sweater, dark fitted pants, and slouch boots. She wore the love token Ned had given her, her engagement ring, and her diamond earrings; her reddish-gold hair was sleek and gleaming. "Your only niece," she returned the joke, hugging her aunt in return. "Nice to see you two. Ned's in the car."

"Hmm," Eloise said, raising an eyebrow. "And how is he?"

From the tone of her aunt's voice, Nancy had a feeling that her father might have talked to his sister. "He's doing well. We actually—" Nancy bit her lip, cutting herself off. She was pretty sure she wanted to tell her family that she and Ned were looking for a house near Chicago when they were all together; she didn't want to spoil it early.

Eloise nudged Nancy's arm. "As long as you don't say 'eloped last week,' I think we'll be all right," she told Nancy with a wink. "I'm really looking forward to seeing you two married in New York. It's going to be such a beautiful ceremony..."

Nancy relaxed a little then, and helped Eloise and Seth take their luggage out to the car. Ned greeted them warmly, and as seasoned New Yorkers, they weren't fazed by the cold weather—but they both sighed in pleasure when they settled into the warm hired car.

Eloise and Seth caught Nancy up on the adventures Emily Terner and the rest of the Montauk crew had been getting into, and Seth asked Ned about where his grandparents lived and their specific plans at Christmas. It was enough to make Nancy calmer by the time the car pulled up in front of her father's house in River Heights. Her hand was in Ned's, and had been for the entire trip.

Even so, as soon as they saw her father, Nancy couldn't help watching him to see how he greeted Ned. He said hello to his sister and brother-in-law first, then Nancy. Ned was helping deal with the luggage, and when he came back up onto the porch, his dark hair dusted with a few fresh flakes of snow, Carson took the last suitcase from his hands.

"And it's nice to see you again too, Ned."

Ned reached for Carson's hand. "It was a pleasure to accept your invitation," Ned said, and Nancy couldn't deny that the sight of him, confident and assertive and incredibly handsome in his wool greatcoat, fine caramel-colored sweater and tailored slacks, was definitely making her think about the kinds of things she _definitely_ couldn't indulge in anytime soon.

Nancy and Ned volunteered to take the luggage upstairs for Eloise and Seth, while Hannah asked if they wanted mugs of hot apple cider on their return. Eloise and Seth settled onto the couch with a happy sigh while Nancy and Ned headed upstairs.

Nancy's heart skipped a beat when she opened the door to what really was her former bedroom. Hannah had made her bed for the colder weather, with an extra blanket and a heavy cranberry-colored comforter; the rest of her room looked bare, since she had moved many of her possessions into the apartment she and Ned shared. Ned stood just behind her, so close she could feel the heat radiating from his skin. His hand was cupping her waist. "So we _do_ get to stay in here," he teased her, his breath ruffling her hair.

She glanced toward the stairs, then cupped her hand over Ned's as they walked into the room. "I don't know, and maybe it'll be better if we just... don't really talk about it," she murmured, keeping her voice low.

"But we're going to stay in here tonight," he murmured, and pushed the door closed behind them, then embraced her. "If you want me to sneak in here after everyone has gone to bed, so be it... but I remember a year ago, an incredibly sexy redhead in lacy lingerie in my bedroom with me at my parents' house..." He was nuzzling against her neck, and Nancy tipped her head back, her lashes fluttering down. "And all the incredibly wicked things we did to each other that night..."

"Mmm," she whispered, as he backed her toward the bed. "Ned... and next year..."

She felt his lips curl up against her neck. "Next year we'll have our own house," he murmured. "Our own place, our first place. And we will probably have spent our first month there christening every single room..."

She reached up and stroked the nape of his neck. She knew they needed to go back downstairs and rejoin everyone, but they hadn't had sex the night before—and she had to admit, his proximity was definitely making her hot. His lips brushed against hers, and her own lips parted. When he pulled back a long moment later, she was lightheaded and clinging to him, her knees weak.

Ned leaned down and touched his forehead to hers. "I love you," he whispered.

The warmth she was already feeling tingled over her, leaving a smile on her face. "I love you so much," she murmured.

He kissed her cheek, then released her. "And if we don't head downstairs, I'm going to do something entirely inappropriate."

Nancy laced her fingers between his, leading him out of her room, but she couldn't resist saying, "Oh?"

"Mmm-hmm. Something involving those long, sexy legs up over my shoulders..." His voice became softer as they started down the stairs, but the low, deep tone of his voice didn't change, and Nancy shivered. "That sound good to you, baby?"

She could feel the warmth in her cheeks, but she met his gaze and gave him a little smile. "Maybe," she murmured.

His expression wasn't quite so smoldering once they walked into the living room again, and after a few minutes Nancy felt safe enough to go to the kitchen and work on helping Hannah prepare for the next day's feast. She and Ned were sitting on the loveseat, and she gave their joined hands a little squeeze, then kissed his cheek. "I'm going to help Hannah for a little while," she murmured. "You okay? Need anything?"

He nodded toward the mug of hot apple cider Hannah had delivered a moment earlier. "Think I'll be okay," he told her, and kissed her cheek too. "I think we'll be all right," he murmured against her ear.

It didn't hurt that Ned and Seth had a good rapport, or that Eloise and Carson were happily reminiscing. She left him behind with a glance back and a soft smile, then joined Hannah in the kitchen, wrapping an apron around her and tying it in a bow.

"It's nice to have you home for a little while," Hannah told Nancy with a smile, as she finished up the last of her preparations for their late lunch. A corner of the countertop was stocked with flour, spices, and butter, waiting for them to begin the baking. "Not just because you're an extra pair of hands."

Nancy smiled, too. "Maybe you could help me make something to take with us to Ned's parents' house for Christmas?" she suggested. "Some cookies or a loaf of something? Ned's chef made us a dish to take with us to the last picnic, and I just... I don't know, I want something that I actually did help make."

Hannah bumped her shoulder against Nancy's with a little smile. "Make sure they know you'll make a good wife?"

Nancy shrugged and chuckled. "It's likely that for the rest of our lives, we'll have a personal chef," she realized. "It's not like it matters that much, but I still feel like it does."

"I'll be happy to help, Nan. We'll find a nice recipe that will hold up during the flight. Now... today we need to make the brine so the turkey can rest overnight..."

Hannah did put her to work, and they figured out the schedule for the following day, what could be done early and what would be best done on Thanksgiving. Several times, though, Hannah shooed her out of the kitchen for a while so she could spend time with the visitors, and with Ned. Every time, Nancy settled with Ned on the loveseat; she and Ned interlaced their fingers and sat close to each other. When they sat down to lunch, Ned insisted that Nancy take a seat and let him serve her, bringing her a fresh mug of cider and an extra napkin when she needed one.

Near the end of the meal, Nancy glanced over at Ned, reaching for his hand. "So Ned and I—it was kind of sudden, honestly, but we've been looking at houses over the past few days. And I think we've found the one."

Everyone else turned toward them, eyes alight with interest. "Near here?" Eloise asked, putting her fork down.

Nancy nodded. "I think it's a twenty-five, thirty minute drive from here," she said. "It's amazing."

Ned nodded, too. "I want us to be totally sure before I make an offer, but if we do find a house now, we can make sure it's furnished and ready for us to use as soon as we return from our honeymoon."

Eloise smiled. "And I hope it has plenty of room for guests."

"So much," Nancy gushed. "Oh, it's incredible. I hope we're able to get it." She glanced over at Ned again. "And we'll have a housewarming party..."

Ned smiled at her. "We'll do whatever you want, sweetheart," he told her, and raised her hand to his lips to kiss it gently.

"I have to admit, I'm a little surprised," Carson said. "If you two do buy a home near here... would it be your main residence, or a place you used while visiting?"

Instead of jumping in to answer, Ned stayed quiet. "Well, Ned and I talked about living here," Nancy said. "Finding a place we could have a family and be comfortable. He has to travel sometimes but he can do a lot of his work over the phone and online, and..."

"And I knew Nancy would probably be a lot more comfortable here," Ned put in, after Nancy trailed off. "With her family and her friends. My family and friends like to travel, and of course we would keep the apartments to use while we're in New York and Los Angeles... and, of course, it's ultimately Nancy's decision."

"So this was your idea, Nancy?" Eloise asked.

"Actually, it was Ned's," she admitted.

Given everything that had happened, Nancy had been keeping a close eye on her father and the way he was interacting with Ned. After lunch, once they had helped clear the plates and tidy up, Carson seemed a little more relaxed. He even asked Ned about the Christmas plans they had made to visit his family, which Nancy saw as a good sign.

Later that night, Nancy was pulled into a conversation with her aunt about the wedding plans; once Seth asked if Eloise was ready for bed, she bid her niece goodnight and headed to the guest bedroom. Nancy went to her old bedroom and changed into a black thermal top and blue-and-black plaid flannel pants with a pair of slipper socks, and headed downstairs.

The weather outside was blustery and chilly, and the remains of a fire were still glowing in the fireplace. Nancy hugged her arms to her belly and inhaled happily. She could smell cinnamon, nutmeg, apple, and pumpkin, along with the woodsmoke.

The television was still quietly murmuring to itself in the living room, but when she found her father and Ned, they were ignoring it entirely. The invitation to play chess hadn't fooled Nancy, and she could tell it hadn't fooled Ned, either. He was taking the game seriously, and after a moment of study, she could tell they had played to what was most likely a stalemate, or what soon would be.

"I have to be up early to help Hannah, so I thought I'd go ahead and turn in," she told them. "Ned, how are you feeling?"

He glanced up at her, and she saw the change in his expression, from intense concentration to a softening, a kind of light that came into his eyes when he looked up at her. "Now that you mention it, I'm feeling pretty tired too," he said, and then glanced over at her father. "Shall we continue this tomorrow?"

Carson looked down at the board, then at his daughter and Ned. "Why don't we start fresh tomorrow," he suggested. "We won't get anywhere from here. And thanks for the game; it's been... very interesting."

Nancy smiled and shook her head. "This isn't the courtroom," she said mildly. "I know it's hard for you to remember that, sometimes..."

Her father sat back with a little sigh. "Oh, I do," he told her. "Even if you two don't decide, ultimately, to stay in Chicago... I am glad you're considering it. It will be hard enough to let you go in May."

Nancy went over to her father and hugged his shoulders as Ned stood. "I'll always be your little girl," she said. "No matter what, Dad. And the house... Daddy, it's beautiful. We'll be nearby and when we have children you'll be able to see them, more than you would if we were in New York. It'll be good. I know it will."

Then she felt Ned's hand on her shoulder. Her father was looking up at her, and he glanced at Ned too. "Even so," he said quietly. "I love you, Nancy. All I've ever wanted was for you to be happy."

"I am," she whispered, and kissed the top of her father's head. "I'm happier than I've ever been. The only thing I want more is for you two to be okay again. For me?"

Carson stood, and Nancy looked up at him. "For as long as you have her best interests at heart, Ned, you and I will always be in perfect agreement," he said. "Nancy, your life... I've tried my best to let you live it as you want, to trust you. I'm sorry if I made you doubt that."

Nancy swallowed. Ned had seen her agony over what her father wanted for her, and whether she should pursue what she herself wanted; she didn't know if Ned would stand up for her now or wait for her to do it, but she realized that she didn't want him to _have_ to do it. "Even when I was so afraid of disappointing you... Ned always told me that you loved me," she said, her voice quiet. "And I am, Dad. I always have been afraid that you wouldn't be proud of me, and I want you to be proud of me. I don't want you to be ashamed of me or my choices.

"And the scariest thing in the world is that, if you tell me that you can't approve of this, of our relationship... that it will break my heart..." She sniffled. "But it won't stop me from loving him. I love you so much, Dad, and I always will, and I want you to be a part of our lives. Our lives as they are _now_ , as they will be, not as they have been.

"It's just... Dad, it was a mistake. It happened years ago. And if you're so upset over it, if this can change the way you feel about him... it just makes me wonder if that's going to be _your_ precedent. That maybe one day I'll do something you don't agree with, and I'll lose your love, too."

Her father shook his head and wrapped her in his arms. "You are just so precious to me," he murmured. "I want the man you marry to always, _always_ treat you like every day he has with you is a gift, like you are his best friend in the world. But I can't stand between you and everything that will ever happen to you for the rest of your life, no matter how much I might wish I could. I would save you from every possible disappointment or heartbreak or failure, if I could."

Ned touched her shoulder. "And I feel the same way," he told Carson. "Seeing Nancy so upset over this has grieved me far more than anything else. I accept the responsibility for what I've done; to do less would be cowardly. But her happiness, her comfort, her security, are all more important to me than my own. I know the words are empty, but I have every intention of demonstrating that to you, in every way that I can."

Nancy reached for Ned and drew him into the hug too. "You're on the same side," she said. "Okay? You're both so concerned about making me happy, and that means the world to me, but this is what will make me the happiest."

Her father took a deep breath. "You have my blessing," he told them. "You have my love and my support. Nothing will ever change that. I know sometimes you two will have disagreements, maybe even arguments. A marriage, even one with as much love as you two feel for each other right now, is hard work. For as long as you make her happy, Ned, I have no misgivings about being your biggest supporter."

When her father kissed her forehead, Nancy wasn't surprised to find that her eyes were pricking with tears. "Thanks," she murmured. "I love you, Dad."

After he bid them both goodnight, Nancy and Ned went upstairs together, their fingers interlaced. Ned stroked the side of her hand with his thumb but didn't say anything until they were alone in her room together; then he pulled her into his arms and gave her a long, warm hug. "I love you," he murmured.

She smiled, her eyes closed. "I love you too," she said. "I love you so much."

"I could tell." Ned pulled back just enough to see into her face, then nuzzled against her cheek. "I was really proud of you. I know that must have been scary."

She nodded. "But it's okay now," she said. "And I came downstairs to make sure you two were doing okay, but I am kinda beat..."

He released her, then crossed to his suitcase. "I'll be right back, then," he said.

Nancy didn't think her father's assurance had been conditional, but she still had a feeling that if her father discovered the two of them together in her bedroom, he wouldn't be overjoyed about it. She didn't think he was going to intentionally try to catch them, but she also didn't want to go out of her way to make him conscious of it. That didn't mean she wanted to ask Ned to go stay in the other guest bedroom, though. He was her fiancé. When they had been together at his parents' house a year before, she had only been his girlfriend, and she had been acutely aware of his parents' presence and their possible disapproval.

Ned returned to her room wearing an undershirt and boxers—and the undershirt was the only concession he was making, she knew. He joined her in her bed and she settled against him with a sigh, chuckling a little to herself. The feel of cotton under her cheek instead of his bare shoulder was different.

"No individual controls or memory foam or cooling system on this mattress," she pointed out. "Think you can rough it for a night or two, Nickerson?"

"I'll do my best," he teased her back, then kissed her forehead. "Kidding aside, I don't want to make you uncomfortable, so if you really do just want to go to sleep..."

She thought for a minute. "I miss you," she whispered. "I miss being close to you. If you think you can be quiet..."

Ned chuckled, grasping her hips and moving her on top of him. He brushed a loose strand of hair from her cheek as he gazed up into her eyes. "Between the two of us, you are _definitely_ the screamer in this relationship," he said with a grin.

She blushed a little when she felt him stirring under her, especially when she straddled his hips. "How can I help it, when fucking you feels so incredible?" she murmured, leaning down to give him a long, slow kiss. He brought his hand up, sliding it under her shirt, and unfastened the closure of her bra with a flick of his fingers.

"Well, when we're back at our place on Friday, you can bet I'll make up for every moan and cry you stifle tonight," he growled against her mouth.

"Wonder what the acoustics will be like in that marble bathroom," she replied with a little grin.

He was pushing the hem of her shirt up; he paused, looking up at her. "On Friday, if you're convinced... Ms. Preston mentioned a couple of other possibilities, and I say we go look at them and make a decision. Because I really do think it's pretty close to perfect, Nan. If you have your heart set on it, that house will be ours."

Her small grin became a wide one. "Oh, Ned..."

He stripped her shirt off, taking her bra with it, and she kissed him hard, catching the hem of his undershirt in her hands, too. He sat up with her so she could strip it off him, then settled a large, warm palm against her shoulder blades, the other at the waistband of her flannel pants. She buried her fingers in his hair, shivering at how good it felt to be so close to him, the warmth of his bare chest against her breasts.

"We'll have a big tree in the living room that we can decorate with all those ornaments you bought me this summer..."

Ned laughed. "Oh, sweetheart, you haven't seen the way my family does Christmas. My grandparents' house? Three trees, all themed. Cookies and treats as far as the eye can see. White lights and velvet ribbon everywhere. It's... it's really something."

She smiled. "And I can't wait," she told him. "To see it with you and to invite them to see our house. To put presents under the tree for them and for our children. Ned, thank you so much, for finding us a place here. It means so much to me."

He cupped her cheek, gazing into her eyes. "Wherever you are is home to me," he murmured. "I'm just glad I can make you happy."

Once they were both naked, he sat up in her bed again and she straddled his lap, her lashes fluttering down as she took him in her hand and angled him toward her. She had dreamed of him in this bed, agonized over her feelings for him, wondered if she could truly feel such attraction and desire for a man she had known so short a time, if he was only with her because he enjoyed the chase, if it could ever really last. It had felt like a dream. It had felt too impossibly wonderful to be true.

"I know," Ned murmured, and she brought her head up to look into his eyes, to see the pleasure on his face as she slowly mounted him. "Oh my God, Nan..."

"Shh," she whispered, drawing his face to hers for a kiss as she took his full length inside her. Then his thumb found her clit.

She didn't know if he had brought any toys with him, and she didn't care; that night, just the feel of his hands, his breath, his lips, the thick length of his cock between her thighs made her lightheaded and breathless with desire. The rise and fall of her hips as she rode him was slow at first, and then she heard the bedsprings begin to creak rhythmically under them.

"Shit," she whispered, holding herself still.

Ned chuckled. "Well, the floor will work," he pointed out, then groaned as Nancy shifted over him, his full length inside her. She looked around the room for something else that might work.

"Someone might see us in the window seat... vanity bench," she decided.

"Sounds very sexy, baby," Ned murmured, and gave her a kiss before she slid off him.

They moved the vanity bench close enough to the footboard that Ned could rest his back against it for more support, or Nancy could brace her palms against it; when she mounted him, Ned leaned back and she was able to plant her feet on the floor, and she flushed, stifling a cry as his angle changed inside her. "Yeah, baby, just like on that lounge chair when we were in Saint-Tropez," he murmured. "You look so sexy, riding me in the moonlight."

"You're so bad," she gasped, gripping the footboard on either side of him, shifting her hips forward at the end of her thrust. She tipped her head back, her hair tumbling down her spine.

"And you love it," he growled, reaching up to tweak one of her nipples, and she had to stifle her gasp.

They found their rhythm and she lost herself in it, swallowing her sobs and cries when he rubbed her clit, when he fondled her sensitive nipples. His gaze was dark with lust and pleasure as he watched her ride him, and she was gratified when she intentionally clenched her inner muscles at the deepest point of one thrust and felt him tense under her in response. "So fucking good," he encouraged her, burying his hand in her hair and giving it a little tug.

With every thrust, she felt the terrible, addictive joy of her orgasm rise a little more. She began panting, whimpering because she couldn't cry out, and Ned drew her down to him, meeting her lips with a hard, hungry kiss. She released her grip on the footboard and clung to him, riding him with rapid thrusts of her hips, and she was so wet that she could hear them joining, even over the thundering of her heart. She sobbed against their kiss, muffling herself, and when he grasped her ass and shifted under her at the deepest point of her next thrust, she cried out against his skin.

"Come," he panted. "Come, beautiful. You feel so good..."

She lasted for a few more thrusts; then she stiffened against him, burying her face against his shoulder for a scream as he worked his thumb against her clit with rough swipes, and the pleasure was so intense she thought she might die. Ned groaned when her inner flesh clenched tight around him, and then she whimpered a single word against his ear.

"Come."

His hips bucked a little under hers and she felt his body tense and relax as he spent himself inside her. She couldn't move; she was completely, fully sated and spent, and it took every bit of her strength to move so she could give him a slow, sweet kiss.

"I love you."

"And I love you," he told her, his heart beating hard beneath hers, and she shivered with his every breath.

The next day, Carson, Eloise, Seth, and Ned watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade while Nancy and Hannah worked in the kitchen; Hannah shooed everyone else out when they offered to help, and they were only allowed to steal snacks and drinks. Nancy and Hannah each took a few breaks to watch some of the parade, and when almost everything was in the oven or warming in preparation, Hannah told Nancy to go relax with Ned for a little while.

She curled up beside him on the couch, his arm around her and her head against his shoulder. That morning they had decided to save time and hot water by showering together—and when he had asked her to show him how she had masturbated and thought about him while they were apart, the obvious desire in his eyes had convinced her. She had still been wet and trembling from her release and the lust she had seen in his gaze while he had watched her, and then he had lain her on the floor on her bedroom, a towel spread under her, and gone down on her until she was silently screaming, her hips and shoulders rigid and his face still buried between her thighs.

She was pretty sure they hadn't saved any hot water at all, especially because after that, they had needed to shower again.

The tension was gone, and she was thankful. Ned and her father joked and laughed along with Eloise and Seth, and Nancy truly wanted to believe her father's promise had been more than just sincere hope. When Carson looked over and saw their hands joined, he didn't look displeased or upset. And when Nancy looked at Ned, she saw the love in his expression and knew it was reflected in her own.

Once the table was set and served, the turkey carved and the cider poured, Carson raised his glass. "A toast, to family," he said. "To my family, all the people in this room. The brother I had never had—and the son I'm adopting a little early. May we see many more holidays together."

Everyone else raised their glasses too; Ned rested his hand on Nancy's knee, out of sight under the table, and gave it a little pat. "To family," he chimed in, and then Nancy reached down and laced her fingers between his as she drank.

In less than six months, he would be her husband. In less than six months she would be walking down the aisle to him, on her father's arm, to be given away—but her heart already belonged to the man sitting beside her.

She picked up the basket of rolls, took one and passed it to Ned—and when he reached for it, she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "I love you," she whispered.

He smiled, his fingers brushing hers as he accepted the basket. "I love you too," he murmured.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this has taken so incredibly long to write. I remember littlemsmessy saying that she couldn't wait for Nancy and Ned to take this trip, so I hope you enjoy it, sweetie. I hope the wait was worth it - and the next part should definitely come out much sooner.

"How do I look?"

Ned was waiting on the couch in the main room of his New York apartment, but at the sound of his fiancée's voice, he immediately turned from the news report he wasn't even paying halfhearted attention to. His grandparents and parents had insisted that they didn't want to impose on Nancy and Ned, but he had pulled a few strings and made sure they had more than ample accommodations at a lavish hotel close to shopping and the Lafevre House. It had all been for the best, anyway. Sienna had commandeered what seemed to be half the apartment for preparations for tonight.

When he turned, he saw that it had all been worth it, more than worth it. He had only idly mentioned burgundy velvet as a possibility for the Christmas ball, but Sienna had found a deep shade of red that complemented Nancy's reddish-gold hair and fair skin and left her looking completely, devastatingly gorgeous. The bodice was modest and dipped only a little, but wouldn't raise any eyebrows, and was close-fitted to the waist, where it flowed out into an ankle-length skirt that wasn't quite a ballgown. A string of pearls had been fastened around her neck, and Nancy was beaming.

"Like the most beautiful woman I've ever seen," he told her, and her eyes shone.

"Look!" She turned and showed him that the small sleeves held up a very modest, flowing back. "I feel like Superwoman." She giggled, and Sienna rolled her eyes, as Nancy flounced it behind her. It did look like a cape, and she looked as happy as a little girl.

Maybe Sienna was often obviously exasperated by her client's naïveté, but Nancy also wasn't subject to any of the jaded world-weariness that marked most of the people who moved in their circles. With them, it would be more about the designer and the price tag; for Nancy, it always seemed to be entirely about how beautiful a dress made her feel. Her hair was dressed in shining curls high on her head, and she wore diamond and pearl earrings and the ruby and diamond bracelet Ned had given her for Valentine's Day.

After Sienna wished them both a good night, Nancy turned to Ned with wide eyes. "I would have worn the dress you gave me for Valentine's Day..."

He shook his head. "You look exquisite," he told her. "There will be other times and places to wear that dress too, but you look so incredibly beautiful tonight. You made a good choice."

She melted a little, and he smiled. "You really think so?"

He nodded and offered her his arm. "And I think this one will fit in more tonight. You'll see."

Nancy chuckled. "You mean it's modest enough for your grandparents to like it."

"Something like that. And I love the way you looked when you were showing me your little cape. I'll have to see if I can get one of those sometime."

She hugged his arm. "You look incredible," she told him. "I feel like any minute now you'll tell me we need to intercept some foreign dignitary before a bomb goes off, and I can't wait."

Ned laughed and kissed the tip of her nose. "That's my girl."

The gala at the Lafevre House included a silent fundraiser auction to benefit homeless New Yorkers; that and the prestige of the event had been sure to attract some high-profile attendees. Ned decided not to mention it. Instead, he and Nancy talked about Maury's inviting Bess to spend the holiday with him and his family, and the gift Fare had sent George a few days earlier. George had been bemused by it, and Nancy and Bess couldn't help feeling both proud and protective of her. Fare was intrigued by her playing hard to get, and every time he swore to Ned that he was just going to move on, he couldn't seem to help himself and came back for more.

"And here we are," Ned murmured as they joined the line of cars waiting to turn in to the drive of the house. Nancy turned and gasped, just as Ned had known she probably would. The house was impressive. Large bows fashioned from gold velvet ribbon fluttered at the tops of the streetlights at the gate. Every window of the imposing, classic three-story mansion was aglow, every window ledge decorated with holly and bows, and the large front door boasted an enormous evergreen and gold-ribbon wreath. Framed as it was, by snow-crusted lawns and the distant glitter of the city on the opposite shore, it was truly beautiful.

The only thing that marred the scene was the crowd of paparazzi at the gate, trying as hard as they could to snap photos of the arrivals, but a squad of security personnel was keeping them from coming onto the grounds, Ned was glad to see. Most of the scrutiny of his and Nancy's engagement had passed, but on a slow news day, Ned knew that a grainy, long-distance photo of either of them with a frown would prompt breathless headlines about trouble in paradise, a relationship on the rocks, a hint of a new scandal. Any good news related to them would pass in a day; judgement and blame seemed to last forever.

Nancy's eyes were bright as she slid out of the car, gripping his hand, marveling at the beautiful house in front of them. "Change your mind?" he teased her, and she turned her wide blue eyes on him. "Want to see if this one's on the market?"

"Oh, we—" Her serious expression softened into a smile. "We'll have to take a tour first. Check it out for secret passages."

"Good point, sweetheart." He smiled at her as she tucked her arm through his.

The house had been both meticulously maintained and flawlessly decorated and appointed. Red velvet curtains, golden rope and tassel, prominent mistletoe sprigs, and a large Christmas tree lent the oversized entertaining area a classic, festive mood. White-gloved waiters stood ready to distribute hors d'oeuvres and glasses of sparkling golden champagne. Crackling, cheerful fires burned in every grate, from behind protective screens, in case any trailing train or coattail swept too close.

While Ned spotted a few couples near their age, many of the guests were distinguished older couples and benefactors, and Ned's grandparents fit right in with them once they arrived. Grandma Chandler wore navy blue velvet embellished with silver, and tutted when Ned bowed to her. Grandma Nickerson wore a long black lace gown with a gold shawl, and tiny jingle-bell earrings dangled from her earlobes. She wrapped both Ned and Nancy in brief, warm hugs. His grandfathers both wore tuxedos, and each of them made a point to thank Ned for the invitation. Ned demurred, telling them that they were doing _him_ a favor by attending. He was happy to see that his grandmothers, his mother, and Nancy were all delighted to be there.

Ned's mother looked very beautiful and festive in forest green satin with gold embellishments, and she greeted both of them with a happy grin. "I have to admit, I'm jealous," she said, looking at Nancy. "I'm afraid our house will look completely inadequate next to this."

Nancy immediately shook her head. "I'm sure it looks beautiful, Mrs. Nickerson, and I can't wait to see it."

"Tell me you've made Ned decorate for the holidays. _Himself_ , without hiring someone to do it." Ned's mother winked at him.

"Oh, we made a day of it... the apartment in Chicago, I think he bought half the store..."

And they would have all of it for their home. The closing date had been set for the beginning of the year, and Ned couldn't wait. He already considered all of the properties he owned to be theirs, but this was the first one that she had helped him pick out, the first one that would truly belong to both of them. Next year, maybe he and Nancy would host the holiday gathering for his family and hers.

When he heard his mother mention that she was thirsty, he went in search of a waiter and returned with two flutes of champagne, one for her and one for Nancy. Nancy was smiling her thanks at him when the expression on her face seemed to freeze for an instant.

"Nan?"

Her gaze stayed where it was for a beat too long; then she looked up and into his face, and he could see her trying to make herself come back to normal. "Sorry. I..."

"What is it?" he asked quietly.

She shook her head and gave him a small smile. "Nothing. Really, nothing. Sorry."

It had been a long time since he had seen her lying to him, but he had known her for so long that he couldn't look away. If they had been alone, he would have backed her into a corner and done everything he could that he knew would make her crazy, to tease the truth out of her. But they weren't alone, not yet.

"Please?" he tried, his voice quiet.

His parents had just begun moving toward the silent auction display room, leaving them with some measure of privacy. Nancy tried another smile, and he saw a flash of vulnerability and—something like anxiety in her eyes.

"I'm fine," she said. "I guess I just—"

"Nancy! Man, it's so good to see you. Are you here for..."

The man who approached them, Ned was positive he had never seen before. He was an inch or so shorter than Ned, wearing a well-fitted tux, but he seemed ill at ease in it. He had dark hair and his eyes were affectionate as they rested on Nancy, and his greeting had been conversational, not eager and loud. His accent was American.

So. Another detective, most likely. And, unless Ned missed his guess...

"Here to attend the gala," Nancy said, returning his smile with one of her own, although hers was less genuine. "It's so good to see you, too. Frank, this is Ned Nickerson, my fiancé. Ned, this is Frank Hardy; our parents are old friends."

The other man's broad grin had dimmed a little when he turned toward Ned, and a beat passed before he offered his hand. Ned shook it firmly, a polite smile on his face as he finally placed the name.

Frank Hardy. One of the men that Nancy could have settled down with, if she had never met Ned.

On the one hand, Ned loved her completely, and any man who she felt affection for was likely a good guy. She had good judgement, and her father liked him too. Considering everything, that meant his behavior was very likely _well_ above reproach.

Still, Ned felt a surge of something he didn't really want to analyze, irrational and disproportionate jealousy and anger and spite and gloating and hatred all at once. He hated the younger man. He hated him for knowing Nancy before he had ever met her, for the affection in his eyes, for the jealousy Frank clearly felt toward him.

But Frank had never slept with her, and Ned had. Ned alone knew her that way, more than intimately, knew her completely.

He had met exes of his then-current girlfriends before, but it had never been like this, maybe because he had never felt for any of them what he felt for Nancy. And yet she had been introduced to Cassandra, had had to endure the other woman's scorn and jealousy, had known that Ned had slept with her. Nancy had had to smile as the paparazzi tried to get a rise out of her, over his fourth sex tape.

When he considered it that way, Ned wanted to sink through the floor. If this made him feel insanely jealous, he couldn't even imagine how she must have felt. But it had been before they met, and he had no place at all to resent someone who had never hurt either of them.

_Maybe they've had you, but never like this, and they never will again._

_Maybe you could have had her, but you never will now. I guarantee it. Her heart belongs to me, and mine to her. Completely._

Frank had never proposed to her, that Ned knew of. That Australian detective she and her friends had told her about _had_ proposed to her, but she had turned him down—and Ned wasn't sure what he would have done, if he had come face to face with that guy tonight. With Frank, Ned knew he had nothing to worry about. 

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Frank. Here for the auction?"

Ned was confident of two things: his poker face was perfect, and to appear in any way jealous of Frank would be to give him power. Frank wasn't a threat; he never had been, and he never would be. To treat him as one would be a mistake.

Frank's own polite smile faltered slightly, as he searched Ned's eyes. "I—know someone working here tonight," he replied. "He asked me to come, to do him a favor..."

Nancy had reached for Ned's hand, and she gave it a little squeeze. "It's all right. We can talk in front of him. Have some threats been made?"

Frank still hesitated a moment or so before replying. "Nothing overt. But someone seems to have made an attempt to steal the replica Fabergé egg up for auction tonight. While the shell and design aren't original, the gem in the egg as part of the surprise is genuine."

"Ah." Nancy's blue eyes were bright, and Ned remembered her eagerness when he had joked that she would likely find a mystery to intrigue her. He didn't regret it now; he regretted only that Frank Hardy had shown up to investigate it. "I think we're more than overdue to tour the auction room..."

Ned offered her his arm. "Would you care to accompany us?" he asked Frank. No matter how much time Nancy ended up spending in Frank's company, she would be in Ned's bed tonight, and that was what he cared about. He wasn't about to appear petty or spiteful, not if he could help it.

Frank nodded after a slight hesitation, and Ned hid his smile as he considered. Was it the shock of seeing his old friend, finding out she was engaged, meeting her fiancé in the flesh, or some combination of the three? According to Nancy, nothing had really developed between them, but she had sensed that something might. As far as Ned could tell, her instincts had been right. Maybe Frank had never truly admitted his feelings, but Ned could sense his discomfort.

_I never knew what it was to feel love, not until I met you. The first man who ever captured my heart._

Nancy was right. The thought of it did serve to reassure him. Whatever had happened was in the past now. She was his future.

The items assembled for the silent auction were eclectic, but whoever had organized the event had done an exceptional job. The replica Fabergé egg was exquisite. Ned had seen a few of them in museums, and the intricate work was magnificent. It was clearly the centerpiece of an already impressive collection. A diaphanous white gown worn by a starlet in an early film was up for bids, an elaborate dinner ring, an engraved silver flask, a set of vintage Christmas ornaments. Ned couldn't resist putting in a bid for the ornaments; Nancy had delighted in decorating their tree in Chicago with all the ornaments he had given her, and when they were in the new house next Christmas, they would need many, _many_ more ornaments to decorate a tree on appropriate scale with the main room. Besides, it was for a great cause.

A security guard was standing in the room with the items up for auction, and when Ned saw him exchange a significant glance with Frank, he hid his smile. When Nancy was working on a case, she seemed very confident and natural, to Ned anyway. Maybe it hadn't worked around him, but she had never met anyone like him before. He fully believed that Nancy would never have survived so long as she had doing detective work if she wasn't skilled and genuinely good at it.

Then a shorter blond guy approached them, and Nancy introduced him as Frank's younger brother Joe. Despite himself, Ned liked Joe; when he wasn't trying to catch a woman's eye from across the room, he was cracking jokes or making completely ridiculous boasts about recent cases and making Nancy laugh.

The potential thief wasn't considerate enough to come in wearing a black half-mask or creep around the room while scrutinizing the corners for hidden cameras, so the four of them went back out to the main area, and Nancy and Ned excused themselves to find the room set aside for dancing. The mosaic parquet floor looked sophisticated instead of cheap or dated, the room was aglow with candlelight, and the pervasive smell of pine and woodsmoke gave way to warm cinnamon-spiced apple and vanilla.

They were lucky enough to arrive just as a song was ending, and Ned's parents smiled at them when they caught sight of each other. Nancy looked slightly distracted. Ned didn't have to wonder why.

"Did you want to go back? See if you could help them?"

She didn't answer him immediately, which made him relax a little. If she had immediately protested, he would have doubted her; he had seen the expression on her face. "Kind of," she admitted. "But there's a lot of security here, and that room has three cameras in it. If the egg's a replica, I wonder how its authenticity will be verified—except through the stone." She pressed her lips together, then glanced up at him. "Now, Ned, if the power goes out, if you hear someone scream in another room—those are the kind of diversions I'd expect. Something serious that can be pulled off quickly, and on a timeline, and leave the person and-or any accomplices enough time to deactivate all security measures and take it."

He nodded his head slightly when the next dance began, his eyebrows raised in a silent question, and she moved into his arms in a single graceful step. He smiled as he looked down at her. "So, hypothetical. If you were the thief, what would you do?"

"Well... it would be easier to steal just the stone, instead of the stone _and_ the egg. One stationary security guard, three cameras, additional security throughout the party. Glass case over the egg that's probably alarmed." She kept her voice low, and he was glad; if any of the other guests heard their conversation, _they_ would likely be suspects, if only for a little while.

Throughout the dance she told him options, some of which he would never have considered. If the winner of the auction didn't have sufficient security to safeguard the egg, it could be that stealing it then would make more sense, but the thief couldn't just depend on that. Some kind of tampering with the auction to ensure that the thief's bid, or that of a plant, was highest might do it; the method of payment would undoubtedly turn out to be a forgery or other stolen funds. An expert called in to verify authenticity would have an excellent opportunity to substitute a paste jewel for the real one, if they'd had enough time and the resources for it.

"What?" she murmured, looking up at him, a small smile curving her lips. "What's that look for?"

Ned shook his head. "I just think you're great," he told her. "And I love you."

She glanced down at his collar, then back up into his eyes. "Sorry about—earlier. I was kind of hoping that he wouldn't come over to us. I don't know why. I think it was just... left over, I think? If that makes sense. Almost like catching a spider in a mug and expecting it to be there when you go back to it, but it's gone. The fear of it, and then finding out that thing you're afraid of isn't even there anymore..."

"You were afraid you still had feelings for him."

She shrugged. "Maybe a little," she admitted. "But the mug was empty; the spider was gone. And here I am, in the arms of an incredibly handsome man who loves me. No one on this planet can compete with you."

"Just like no one can compete with you, Nan. You're a force all to yourself."

She smiled. "I almost... it wasn't in your face, not exactly, but it was like I _felt_ you getting jealous of him, for a second. And it was nice, to be on the other side of that."

"For once," he said what she didn't. "So you liked it, huh."

"Well... yeah. I guess that's petty and childish..."

"And completely understandable. I was _insanely_ jealous of him when you introduced us."

"Really." She grinned.

"Mmm-hmm. And then I remembered what you told me. You're my fiancée; no one else ever has been, or ever will be. What happened before we met is so little compared to what we have, and you'll be in my bed tonight, not his."

A soft blush rose in her cheeks. "He and I were never..." She trailed off, her voice becoming even quieter. "You're the only man I've ever shared a bed with."

"If we keep talking about bed, we'll have to leave early," he murmured.

They circulated through the house, chatting with people Ned knew and a few people Nancy happened to know, other than the Hardys. His friend Cormier had called to thank him personally for agreeing to show up, and for mentioning the event to a few other people. Nancy was keeping an eye out for anyone who seemed out of place or suspicious, but as she had ruefully remarked to him, a master thief wouldn't look at all out of place at the gala.

Then she glanced over at Ned. "You know," she murmured, "that play to steal the egg before the auction was a sloppy move. Maybe _that_ was the diversion."

"Direct all the attention and security to the egg, leaving the real target less guarded."

They were both speaking quietly to keep from alerting possible suspects, but the gleam of interest in her eyes gave him a thrill. Although he couldn't love the circumstances that had initially brought them together, for her it had been a sort of perfect storm; she had loved what she was doing, and it had enabled him to see that aspect of her personality before he knew anything else about her, to see her like this. He always thought she was beautiful, but she was irresistible like this. It was half the reason their summer vacation had been as amazing as it was.

"Hang on," she murmured, glancing through the program she had stashed in her clutch, but she scowled. "No estimated values. Think you can handle it if I have to talk to Frank for a minute or two?"

Her grin softened the sting. "As long as it's a minute or two, I'll try to be on my best behavior."

"Mmm. I hope not all night," she told him, her voice low and lightly teasing, but her lashes were low too.

He took her hand as she turned away from him. "I think my gorgeous fiancée wants to be fucked in the back of a limo tonight."

She glanced back at him just as an older woman passed within earshot. She blinked once, but that was all, and Nancy was visibly stifling her laughter and her disapproval.

"Silence is acceptance, so..." he teased her in his normal speaking voice, and this time she did cast a baleful glance back at him.

"Silence is _not_ acceptance, Mr. Nickerson."

"Yes, mistress."

She tugged on his hand, until they were side by side. "You are being _very bad_ ," she muttered. "Shh."

"Or what," he teased her. "One of the best things about buying you clothes is that I can just casually suggest I reclaim what you're wearing. Or would you like to teach me a lesson, Miss Drew?"

"Somewhere," she murmured to him from the corner of her mouth, "my father is feeling very twitchy and isn't sure why."

"So that's a yes. Baby, I can't wait."

She was still blushing a little when they found Frank. "I'm guessing that the Fabergé egg is the most expensive item up for auction tonight. What's the second most expensive?" she asked him, without preamble.

Frank blinked. "Uh," he stammered, glancing around the room. "I—I was just called in about the egg. I'd guess... the costume?"

Ned saw the flash of annoyance on her face and guessed that, if she were in his position, she would have researched all the items and at least known their approximate value. "Anything else unusual, that might have some sentimental value?"

Frank shrugged. "Everything else... I don't know. The dinner ring, I think is just a piece of well-designed costume jewelry. The flask..." He shrugged again. "I mean, anyone can buy a flask. Sorry."

Frank trailed them back to the exhibition room, though. The guard still stood near the egg, looking both placid and watchful. Nancy looked through the items up for auction again.

"Costume. Hard to smuggle out of here. Hard, but not impossible, to construct a copy and replace it. Hard to fence." She did that for each of the items; the Christmas ornaments weren't rare or otherwise remarkable, just well-designed and appealing. The flask could hold sentimental value for someone, but it was hardly rare. She gazed at the autographed baseball for a long time, her arms crossed, then gave her head a little shake.

Then she crossed to the dinner ring and blew out her breath in a long, silent sigh. The guard looked over at her when she took out her cell phone.

"Mind if I take a photo of this?"

He opened his mouth, closed it, then shrugged. Nancy smiled.

"In addition to your many talents, you're also an expert jewel appraiser?"

Nancy wrinkled her nose at Ned. "No, silly. But I know someone who can help. C'mon."

Ned looked at the other items up for auction along with her, and saw all over again the careful curation that had taken place. Knowing the audience, whoever had arranged this had decided to play on nostalgia. Everything up for bids looked considerably older than Ned was. An autographed movie poster for a film he didn't even remember, a slender gold-toned container he recognized as a cigarette case, a well-preserved doll boasting three separate phrases spoken at the pull of a string. He considered them the way Nancy had. Something that could be forged or easily stolen...

She tapped her finger against her lower lip, then jumped slightly and pulled her phone out of her bag again. She brightened for a second, then wilted a little and sighed. "Nothing remarkable about the dinner ring, at least not that Bess can see," she said. "So that's probably out."

"What about the cigarette case?"

She tapped a few buttons on her phone, and he could sense her impatience as she glared at the screen, coming just short of tapping one well-shod foot. "Well, the case itself wouldn't be too expensive," she admitted. "Not in comparison to the egg. But it might have been designed to hold a message or a note, and that might make it valuable to someone."

"So what do we do?"

She paused, then looked up at him with a smile and reached for his hand. "Do you know I love you?" she murmured. "Because I need you to. I love you, Ned."

"I love you too, Nan."

Then his grandparents came through, and they were drawn into conversation for a while. Even though Nancy had been out to the house a few times before, Ned's grandparents were clearly anxious that she would have a good visit, that she would love everything. Ned wanted that too. One of his favorite times every year was his Christmas visit to the Nickerson family house, and he couldn't wait to share that with her.

Frank came through just then, eyes wide. "Man at the front gate," he said urgently to Nancy, his voice low. "Demands to be let in."

Nancy glanced over at Ned. "The diversion," she mouthed, her own eyes widening.

Frank and Joe were keeping an eye on the front of the house and the room with the items up for bid; Nancy directed Ned to the kitchen, the rear entrance, and made her own quick rounds of the party, to see who _wasn't_ fascinated by the scuffle on the front lawn.

Twenty minutes later, the police arrived, ostensibly to deal with the fracas at the gate. Just as Ned had heard Nancy arrange, one of them circled around to the back and approached the waiter, a short, dark-eyed man who had been blackmailed into attempting to steal the cigarette case. Nancy and Ned had caught him together, but he had broken down almost immediately, begging for forgiveness. Nancy wasn't interested in seeing him punished for the attempted theft; instead, she had asked him to speak to the police about the circumstances of the blackmail.

Once they were back in the limo and on the way to his city apartment, the prize of the vintage Christmas ornaments safely in the trunk, Ned reached for Nancy's hand. "I've never had any doubt that you should be a detective, but if I did, tonight would have convinced me. You were great, Nan."

She gave him a wide smile that turned into an almost bashful grin. "Thanks. I... if I hadn't been completely convinced that you were the right guy for me already, this would have done it. You wanted to help instead of whining about us wasting time or begging me to turn it over to the cops. _And_ you managed to act like a grown-up and _not_ punch Frank in the face."

"And here I thought that helping rescue you from a murderer was the real reason you loved me," he said, kissing the tip of her nose.

"Well. That was definitely about a thousand points in your favor," she conceded.

"Only a thousand?"

"Which put you nine hundred and ninety-nine points ahead of everyone else," she replied to his pout, and kissed his cheek. "Up for earning some more points tonight?"

He nuzzled against her neck. "Always, beautiful," he murmured, his breath warm against her skin, and she shuddered, running her fingers through his hair.

As soon as they were back in his apartment in the city, he pinned her to the inside of his front door, and she couldn't help grinning. "I'm glad," she murmured between brief kisses, his body pressed to hers, "that I got, another chance, to say yes..."

She felt him smile against her cheek before he kissed her again. "You drove me crazy that night," he murmured. "After you left I couldn't get you out of my head..."

"And I couldn't get you out of mine," she murmured. "I'd never felt that way before."

"I love you."

Her stomach flipped. No matter how many times he said those words to her, she didn't think she would ever be used to it. Every time was like hearing it again the first time. "I love you," she whispered, her lashes fluttering down as his lips brushed against hers. "Oh, Ned..."

His palms pressed against her, cupping her ass, bringing her firmly against him, and she slid her hands under his suit jacket, craving the feel of his skin against hers. She moaned when she felt his erection through their clothes, rubbing directly between her legs, against the join of her thighs. "Mmm. Time to get that cape off, superwoman."

She couldn't help giggling. "I like the sound of that," she purred.

He kissed her neck, and then he slowed against her, his body still pressed tight against hers. "Tell me what you want tonight, gorgeous," he murmured, his breath warm on her skin. "I'll give you everything your heart desires. Your heart and the rest of you."

The sensitive flesh between her thighs pulsed gently in response. When they had made love that morning, it had felt good to her, even though she hadn't reached that place of clawing, screaming release. Instead, it had been lazy and slow and gentle, punctuated by slow kisses and lingering caresses, and she had been speechless when she had mounted him, allowing her slow thrusts and his pleasure at being joined to her to bring her fiancé to climax. She hadn't been disappointed at how sweet and tender it had been; it had been right, and so poignant that she had felt tears pricking in her eyes. It was just another way she showed him her love.

Tonight, though... he so often mastered her completely in bed, using every technique and trick and toy at his disposal to leave her powerless, shaking, begging him for the release of her orgasm. She craved that with him. She craved it, and she had never, _never_ wanted to be so vulnerable with anyone else. It thrilled her, to know that giving her pleasure would give _him_ pleasure too. Wanting it didn't make her greedy or selfish.

She was greedy for him, though. She basked in the glow of being _his_ , his _only_ , for the rest of their lives. She was still left awed and thunderstruck by the realization. Ned Nickerson's wife, and a life beyond her wildest dreams. Everything she had never known she wanted.

He was everything to her. Absolutely everything.

She trembled again when he nuzzled against her neck, his lips brushing her skin. "I want you," she whispered. "I want you so much. Take me to bed."

She felt him smile, and then he bent down. She released a quiet gasp of surprise when he picked her up, her arm around his shoulders and her legs draped over his arm. "Yes, beautiful," he murmured. "Yes, baby. The rest of our lives. Maybe we'll just have to come up with little holiday mysteries for our kids every year, if it makes them as happy as tonight."

Nancy's eyes grew damp as she searched his handsome face, as he walked through the doorway to his bedroom, _their_ bedroom. "I love that we're here, where it all began," she whispered. "Every day I'm so thankful that I met you. There's no one like you in the entire world, and you make me happier than I've ever been."

"So you like that idea, huh."

She nodded. "I love it."

"There's no one in the world like you either, Nan. You're incredible, and I loved every minute of tonight."

"Except one."

He shrugged. "You're in my bed," he pointed out. "Everyone else is a runner-up."

"Permanently," she murmured. "No one else has ever come close. You're the love of my life, Ned."

He brushed the tip of his nose against hers just before he lowered her to the bed, onto the pillowy softness of it, and his dark eyes were glowing with desire as he looked into her face. "Always," he murmured. "Always, Nan."

He used every bit of his self-control with her, and she was kept spellbound. Somehow he knew every single place he could touch her, every possible stroke or caress that would stoke her arousal. At first, when they had first been together and he had been learning her, she had been overwhelmed by how fast he could make her come, and how intense it felt.

But that was paltry, in comparison to what he did to her and with her and for her that night. He undressed her slowly, stripping them both completely before he joined her in bed, her heart thudding as she watched him and saw the undeniable heat of his gaze. He kissed her, nuzzled and stroked and caressed and teased her, bringing her to the cusp and then leaving her to wait, trembling in anticipation. His strokes were always gentle and deliberate, and she clung to him, overwhelmed by him. He kissed and gently suckled against each nipple as though he had all the time in the world, his palms between her thighs, his fingertips probing and caressing and stroking. She flushed hot, panting and moaning his name, her hips moving against his touch.

"Good?" His breath was hot against her skin, his voice low and knowing.

"Yes," she moaned, shivering as she opened her legs even wider. "Oh, oh my _God_..."

Then he suddenly moved down, draping her legs over his shoulders as he moved between her thighs, and she gasped as he ran his tongue directly over her clit in a firm swipe. He fondled and pinched her nipples in time with his strokes against her clit, and she arched her back, tipping her head back, gasping at the pleasure of it.

She didn't know how long he kept her that way, quivering at the edge of her orgasm, the tension of it growing until she could barely stand it. She was flushed and glowing, grinding against him, blind and wanton, desperate and beautiful. All of her was his, all of her exposed and welcoming him, as he slid his tongue into her mouth, kissing her deeply as he finally, slowly began to fit himself inside her.

It was _right_. There was no other word for it. Being with him this way—he had told her that she was made for him, and in that moment she knew he had been made for _her_ too, made to fill all the emptiness inside her, that she would never have known everything she could have been without him. He loved her so completely that she was free to be herself, in a way she had never imagined before.

She craved this. She craved his mastery and her total submission, letting him do as he wished, letting him love her until she could know nothing beyond it. She loved that all she could do was breathe as he worked in her with long claiming strokes, leaving her tender inner flesh pulsing and welcoming. She loved that he could feel her directly against him, that he had never experienced that with anyone else, that when he spent himself inside her he left his seed between her thighs.

There would be children. Whether she carried them or they adopted them, there would be children. There would be love, a family of her own, no more loneliness. His were the arms that would be waiting for her.

She screamed when he finally let her come, her shoulders shaking, her hips jolting, her nails digging into his back. She sobbed as he drew it ever higher, stroking against already-sensitive flesh until her eyes had rolled back and her spine was arched and she was screaming so high there was no sound. It was everything she wanted, and beyond it. She was undone.

She couldn't move, once he reached his own climax and then relaxed against her. The aftershocks twitched in her fingers, her hips, whenever the air conditioning breathed against her skin. She felt like she had left her body for a moment. And he was so warm against her that she wanted to purr in quiet contentment.

"Was that what you wanted, beautiful?" he murmured against her skin.

She smiled. "Completely," she murmured, nestling against him. "Perfect."

\--

Ned had always loved spending Christmas with his family. Sometimes his grandparents and parents changed the little things, but all the big things stayed the same: the impressive, impeccably decorated pine trees, a mouthwatering spread that practically made the table groan under the weight, Christmas carols and mistletoe and hot mulled cider.

It wasn't Capri or Jamaica. It wasn't champagne and fifteen escorts and a party boasting at least a few minor celebrities and a sushi tray delicately arranged on an almost-naked human being. It was comfort and home and family, and Ned had never wanted to feel embarrassed by or self-conscious about it. The jaded socialites and status-seeking women on the prowl had always expected something over the top, and he had saved that for New Year's. He had never wanted to bring them home. To be vulnerable this way.

But Nancy looked beautiful and happy and delighted with all of it. She listened to his grandmothers' tips for recipes with bright eyes and eager comments, and took notes. She volunteered to help wash up after meals, and when Ned came into the kitchen looking for her and wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her neck, she giggled and his grandparents looked at them fondly.

They would be there to see the wedding and celebrate their grandson's marriage. They would be there to see Nancy and Ned speak their vows to each other. He couldn't wait to invite his family to the large house outside Chicago, to repay at least a little of their hospitality with a large family gathering. His other homes weren't made for that kind of thing, or at least he had never seen them that way.

His parents and grandparents looked indulgently on Ned's little signs of affection toward his fiancée. Ned made sure to limit them to when Nancy's father was definitely well out of sight.

Maybe a traditional family Christmas wouldn't have impressed the girls he had dated before, but he could tell it was serving to soften her father. Nancy's aunt Eloise and her husband Seth both had relaxed from their somewhat stiff formality after a few hours, and Eloise reminisced with her brother about their own family Christmas celebrations. Ned's mother had apparently told his grandparents that they needed to do their best to charm Nancy's family, and they were doing what they could.

But it was just how they were, really. They were warm and polite and welcoming, and the mood in the house was festive and happy, and all of them felt it.

Maybe there would come a day when Nancy's father would have someone to gently kiss under the mistletoe. Nancy had told him that her father did date, most recently Adriana, and sometimes she thought it might become serious. As much as Ned hated to think it, because he sensed how much it would trouble Nancy, he knew that a steady girlfriend would help keep her father from brooding on the past. Their wedding, Ned hoped, would do even more to soothe whatever fears he still had.

Since Ned's parents had the space to let Nancy and Ned stay with them, and the guest rooms at his grandparents' house were all occupied, at least there was no risk of her father discovering that they were sharing a bed over the holiday. Ned knew it was no secret, and the second morning of their trip Ned's father opened the bedroom door to casually ask if the two of them wanted to have breakfast at a pancake house in town before heading out. Nancy had been mortified enough about that. He knew she had felt almost defiant and very mature, when she had admitted to her father that they were sleeping together. It had been thrilling to him, to make love while they were staying in her father's house at Thanksgiving, but Ned didn't want anything to ruin this trip.

A year ago, she had been his girlfriend, and he had just begun to let himself fully realize how special she was to him. A year from now, she would be his wife.

It was too much to comprehend. It was a miracle, and this was the season for it.

When the four of them were preparing to pack up the car and head to Ned's grandparents' on Christmas Eve, Nancy placed her hand on his arm, and her blue eyes were bright when he turned to her. She wore jeans and an emerald-green sweater, and each earlobe sported a small silver gift bow earring. The love token he had given her was hanging around her neck, and her engagement ring sparkled from its usual place, at the base of her left ring finger. Ned wore jeans and a soft plaid flannel shirt that made him feel like he should be preparing to chop wood or bring in the horses.

"Why don't we stay at your grandparents' house tonight?" she suggested, her lips turning up in a smile. "Give your parents some time to exchange their gifts to each other and take a break from entertaining us. Grandma Chandler told me we just _have_ to be here to try her homemade apple danishes before they vanish."

Ned chuckled. He'd thought that she had gotten over his father's casual acknowledgement that they were sharing a bed, but maybe she hadn't... and he sensed there was more to her suggestion than that. "Well, I'm not sure _where_ we would stay here, unless you're thinking about the inn in town. And that might be full right now."

She winked. "Just leave it to me. Would that be okay?"

"If that's what'll make you happy, I'd be happy to, Nan."

Her smile became a grin, and she stood on her tiptoes to brush a kiss against his jaw. "Thanks, honey."

All during the day, even before Ned's family's arrival, the house steadily filled with more family members. Chloe greeted Nancy with a squeal of recognition and delight, launching herself at Nancy's knees, and Nancy laughed as she embraced the little girl. "I've been practicing!" Ned translated her excited babbling, and he realized what she meant. She had been practicing to be their flower girl.

"That's great, sweetheart." Nancy crouched down and gazed into the little girl's green eyes. "I'm sure you're going to be the best flower girl ever."

The house was incredibly loud and busy, full of relatives carrying dishes of food and diaper bags and presents to stack under the tree in the living room. Most of the men gathered in the main room to watch the game and corral the kids, and most of the women stayed in the kitchen, helping prepare an incredible spread that the men occasionally sampled. By noon, Ned wasn't even hungry, he had tried so many of the snacks. His grandmothers and mother spent the days leading up to the holiday preparing an infinite array of sweet and savory finger foods to keep the crowd distracted and satisfied before the main event on Christmas Day.

He still wasn't quite sure how Nancy was going to pull off their staying at the house. All the guest bedrooms had been designated and claimed. Many of the guest beds had trundles beneath, and some couples had brought air mattresses. Luggage and toys were stacked in the library and the sunroom, and when Ned saw the windows edged in blown snow, he thought the view of the night sky would probably be incredible, but it definitely wouldn't be private.

If it were up to him... he would have suggested that they take a small plane to the nearest city boasting a luxurious hotel, and spent the night between Egyptian cotton sheets, naked and lazy and decadent. The only problem was that Christmas morning was its own big event, and it would be hard for them to drag themselves away from a warm, welcoming bed, back out into the snow and cold, to make it to his grandparents' house in any reasonable amount of time.

But she had said to leave it to her, so he was going to. He was just curious.

The evening meal was announced, and they descended upon it en masse, under the watchful eyes of the grandmothers. At first, it seemed that they couldn't possibly eat all that had been prepared; then it seemed that there wouldn't be enough. Then the second-helping casseroles and servings came out, and the entire floor level of the house was laughter and happy conversation, bright baby-talk voices and deep baritones. It was warm, joyful chaos, just as it always had been.

Or, at least, the way it had always been in Ned's life. He was just laughing at something his cousin Annie had said when he glanced over at Nancy. Her eyes were bright, but she was quiet.

It had to be a little overwhelming for her. Even the family gathering at the end of the summer hadn't been this cozy, thanks to the enormous tent on the back lawn.

Ned put his fork down and gently touched her side. When she glanced up at him, aware of his presence, he slid his arm around her and embraced her gently.

"Doing okay?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I'm okay."

"It's a lot, huh."

She smiled. "But it's your family," she said. "And this is— _them_. It would have been strange to be quiet. Thanks for inviting us."

Ned found Nancy's father, sitting at a nearby buffet table, Eloise and Seth at one side. He was listening to something one of Ned's uncles was saying, nodding, his brow furrowed slightly, but his eyes were alight too. Margie, the daughter of one of Ned's cousins, was showing Eloise something, and Eloise was smiling at her.

Thanksgiving at the Drew home had been very different, in some ways. But Ned had seen the happiness in everyone's eyes, the warmth and love and peace. It was the same here. Just with the volume turned way up.

"Don't worry. Next year you can name the rules for the drinking game. It starts once all the kids are in bed."

Nancy glanced up at him with wide eyes, then saw that he was teasing and shook her head with a smirk. "Maybe that's what _you_ want to do," she teased him back.

"Mmm. Well, there might be drinking, and carols. Making sure all the kids come inside from making snowmen and snow angels. Mostly we'll all be in food comas, considering whether one last cookie will kill us or not."

"And I'll be helping your grandmas out in the kitchen for a little while. I promised."

Without revealing anything in his expression, Ned gently slid two fingertips under the hem of her sweater and stroked the bare skin of her side. "Just not for too long," he murmured. "Those little gift bows on your ears make me think there's a present I _definitely_ want to unwrap early."

He would have predicted that she was going to open her mouth to protest, but he saw interest in her eyes. He honestly didn't think his grandparents would care, if they somehow found out Nancy and Ned were sleeping together under their roof. The offhand comments about future grandchildren had already started, anyway.

Granted, given the lack of space, they might have to sneak off into the barn's hayloft to have some alone time. If she was game, he would be too.

For a moment, after she had quirked an eyebrow up at him and rested her head on his shoulder, then looked back down at her plate, Ned couldn't help imagining it. Fare liked to grumble that Ned was fully, entirely whipped, and in all honesty, if it had been anyone else, he might have agreed.

But she wasn't just the next thrill to him. He wanted her in his life, by his side, sharing his bed. He wanted to support her and shower her with affection, because the pure, breathtaking sweetness he felt when he looked into her eyes was more than enough to repay it. She tried so hard to be the person he wanted her to be, but when she was vulnerable and genuine and completely herself with him...

He shook his head, smiling a little. He really did have it bad, for her. Every minute of loneliness, of hoping he would ever be this happy and devoted to someone, was worth it now.

After the meal was over, Chloe came over to Ned with a big grin on her face. "Snow angels!" she giggled, reaching for his hands.

"Now you keep him out of trouble, Chloe," Ned's mother told her, smoothing her hair. "We'll keep an eye on the bride to be. She mentioned wanting to stay here tonight?"

Ned shrugged as Chloe insistently pulled him along. "To give you two some alone time, apparently, although I have no idea where we'll be staying. Maybe she stumbled across another secret passage," he said with a smile.

"That does sound like her," Ned's mother agreed. "Eloise! Let me get that."

Large floodlights mounted at the back of the house washed the blue-white snow in brilliance, and the children cast long dark shadows as they ran around the yard, piling up snow for forts or figures, starting impromptu snowball fights with each other. Chloe was bundled up to twice her normal size before her mother would let her outside, and Ned nodded sincerely when he was told not to let her stay out too long. Her parents would always be a little protective of her, and Ned understood.

"Snow angels!" Chloe cried gleefully as she tumbled into the backyard, catching herself when Ned tightened his grip on her hand. "Look!"

She leaned down and, with intense deliberation, planted her mittened hand on top of the snow. The crust was thick, and she barely cracked it, her brow furrowing.

"Here. Like this," he told Chloe, sitting down. "Want to help me?"

He sprawled backward in the yard with Chloe giggling as she patted his chest, and she laughed as he swept his arms and legs in large arcs. "Ooooh!"

"Just like that. You want to do one?"

He made sure her hood was up over her head before she sprawled out too, waving her arms and legs. "Little baby snow angel," he said, and brushed the tip of his nose against hers when she sat up. She looked down at the shape left in the snow, then back up at him, her green eyes wide.

"Snow _princess_ ," she said.

She wanted to twirl next, and although she was momentarily upset when one of her older cousins' snowballs accidentally flew right in front of her, she recovered pretty quickly. When her cheeks were red from the cold, Ned swept her up and kissed her forehead, holding her close to him.

"All right. I think it's time for something warm to drink. My toes feel like icicles."

She patted his cheek with her mittened hand. "Ice-cles," she repeated, and giggled.

Nancy wasn't in the kitchen when they went back into the house, but one of Ned's cousins asked him to help set up a remote-control train one of the kids had been given as an early present, and before he knew it he was sitting on the couch in front of a roaring fire, taking his aunt's place on a game of dominoes. That was the thing, about staying at his grandparents' house for the holidays. Never a dull moment. Not until about twelve-thirty, when everyone was settled in their beds and the house was finally quiet and still.

Nancy came into the living room with her hands in her pockets, but the color was up in her face, and Ned raised his eyebrows as she came over to him. One of Ned's uncles had suggested a ride to a local Christmas lights display, and Carson and Seth had agreed to go. Eloise was reading a bedtime story to some of the babies, and they were gathered around her, gazing at her in rapture. The large television set was tuned to a station playing carols. The stacks of presents under and beside the trees just seemed to keep growing with each new arrival. Large baskets marked with each grandchild's and baby's name were stacked near the trees, ready for the morning, to hold unwrapped presents and lone mittens.

"How are you doing?" he asked her, moving over so she could sit beside him on the couch. "When I didn't see you, I thought maybe you'd gone to see the lights."

She shook her head. "Not without you."

He searched her eyes. "We could go now," he pointed out. "If you want."

She shrugged. "I don't know why, but I thought a horseback ride might be pretty romantic," she said. "I know you're beat, though."

He leaned over to give her a kiss on the cheek, then pushed himself up. "Let me just find Grandpa..."

"He said it would be fine. That you know where the saddles and everything are." She kept her voice low, as though afraid if they were overheard more people would want to join in. Everyone else looked more than relaxed and content in their overstuffed chairs, though, so Ned didn't think they were in too much danger.

Still, it was cold outside. Ned put on an extra layer of warm underwear, and she took his suggestion that she do the same.

The number of people who greeted Nancy when they were finding their coats warmed Ned's heart. They protested, telling her she was leaving too soon, that a new round of dominoes would be starting soon, but she assured them that she would bring Ned back soon and join in on the caroling and games. She tugged a warm navy cap over her reddish-gold hair, interlaced her gloved fingers, and reached for her scarf.

"If we're going to be out for a while, maybe we should grab some cookies," he suggested.

She flashed him a grin before winding her scarf over the lower half of her face. "Sounds good to me."

They had managed to take a horseback ride during their summer visit, and it had been an easy way to find some alone time. Tonight, though, maybe because he could sense some kind of anticipation in her, it felt more important. Under the dim stable light Ned saddled two horses, taking care that everything was properly fitted, with Nancy helping him. She swung up into the saddle easily, and Ned couldn't help smiling as he did the same.

"I love you, Nan."

Her eyes twinkled at him, and she knew she was smiling under her scarf. "Love you too, Nickerson."

He stuck to a well-traveled trail he knew, one skirting around the edge of the woods and then heading toward the highway. The air was so cold that it burned on any exposed skin, but the sky overhead was perfectly cloudless and brilliant with stars. The moonlight cast the snow in blue-white, and the horses' breath steamed in the air.

When they were at about the right distance, Ned brought his horse around and Nancy did the same, and then she gasped, just as he had hoped she might. "Oh, it's beautiful."

The landscaped yard of his grandparents' house had been decorated with strings of white Christmas lights, and from here every window was aglow with warmth, under the snow-capped roof and smoking chimney. It looked like the perfect picturesque front of a Christmas card. It was one of Ned's favorite sights, and one of his favorite memories.

"No wonder you couldn't let it go."

Ned rested one hand on the saddle's horn and reached for hers with the other. "When I did that, I didn't know that _this_ was part of the reason I was saving it. It's a part of my life that I don't share with other people. Having you here with me just makes it perfect, Nan."

She pushed her scarf down so he could see her face. "I love you," she said. "I love your family and _this_ , and today has been..." She shook her head. "Today has been amazing. And I wanted to give you something to... to show you how much it meant to me."

He raised his eyebrows and gave her hand a little squeeze. "You don't have to," he murmured. "When I look into your beautiful eyes and see everything you're feeling, that's more than enough for me."

She shook her head. "I always thought I had a good poker face, before you," she sighed.

He smiled. "You do. But I've always been a good poker player. C'mere."

He took her down the path so she could see two of the neighboring homes, alight with warmth, lanes lined with parked cars. Out here, it felt like they were in another world. Then he caught himself imagining their new house, all their family members gathered there to see them, and warmth washed over him. His grandmothers would insist that his chef be given the holiday off, although Ned had always given his staff generous vacations over the holidays. Nancy would want everything to be perfect, but it would be, because she was the most important part.

He never consciously tried to compare her to the other women he had dated, but here, like this, it was almost impossible. No one else had made it this far. No one else had fit so well, so completely, into his life. During his more sentimental moments he truly did believe that they had been made for each other. There was no other way to say it. He couldn't help but be thankful that they had found each other at the right point in their lives.

A Christmas miracle, if ever he had known one. A miracle that she would say yes, when she'd had so many reasons not to.

The horses were eager for some exercise, so on the way back, Ned allowed his horse to break into a gallop. He knew the trail, or at least the way it had been within the past few years, and it felt exhilarating. Nancy caught up with him, and he saw a flash of mischief in her eyes as she pulled forward.

They raced back to the stables, and when Ned's horse won by a nose, Nancy was immediately laughing and accusing him of cheating, thanks to his superior knowledge. Ned swung down from his horse, reached up to help her down from hers, and pulled her body tight against his in the process. The end of her scarf had come loose and her eyes were bright, her cheeks flushed, excitement and delight on her face. She looked incredibly beautiful.

When she saw the look in his eyes, her laughter subsided, but her smile stayed. She slid her arms around his shoulders, and he saw the slight startling in her eyes as he braced her back against the side of the barn.

"Hey gorgeous."

"Hi handsome," she replied, and her gloved fingertip brushed against the back of his neck. "Thanks for humoring me tonight. I just needed a little break."

"I understand." He brushed the tip of his cold nose against hers, then leaned in and gave her a slow, sweet kiss. "So where will we be tonight, the hayloft? Recreating our own little nativity scene?"

"Complete with a little baby Chloe, making hay-angels." She kissed him in return. "Nah, not without our rated-for-thirty-below sleeping bags. I think indoors is the best option."

"Definitely. I'd hate for us to have to explain how, exactly, we managed to get frostbite in such unusual places..."

His voice trailed off as they kissed again, but Ned broke it off when he heard gravel and snow crunching under car tires. Reluctantly they released each other, taking the horses to their stables and putting away the gear.

All the children were already gathered in the main room, and Ned spotted Nancy's father walking in with the others who had gone on the lights tour as he and Nancy took a seat on the couch and cuddled together for warmth. Every year, Grandpa Nickerson read the Christmas story, and Grandma Chandler read _The Grinch Who Stole Christmas_. Grandma Nickerson finished up with _The Night Before Christmas_ , and Grandpa Chandler came in dressed in his Santa suit to distribute small gifts to everyone. The children's delight was infectious, although Ned could tell that several of them were almost ready for bed. Several of their parents encouraged them to tell Santa Merry Christmas before they headed to bed or home for the night, and several of Ned's aunts and uncles joined in, hugging Santa and saying they would see him later on that night.

"I need to check on something. Stay right here, okay?"

Ned raised his eyebrows at his fiancée. Her comment had been a murmur, and she held a finger to her lips, quirking her own eyebrow at him. She patted his knee, then walked toward the kitchen.

Ned couldn't help it. He gave her about a minute's head start; then he went into the kitchen. Both his grandmas were there, making a few last preparations for the massive brunch buffet that would keep them all satisfied until the meal was ready. His mother and two of his uncles were there too, discussing logistics for frying two turkeys. A diagram was sketched on the pad in front of her and everything.

"Mmm," Grandma Nickerson said, shaking her head. "Nancy said you were supposed to stay in the living room."

"I just wanted another cookie," Ned protested, although he was smiling. In New York, the world was his oyster. Here, while his grandparents all loved him, they had known him forever and had some immunity to his charms. "Seriously, if it's too much trouble for us to stay here..."

Grandma Chandler shook her head. "No trouble at all. It's nice to have so many of you close by. Don't worry about it, Neddy-bear."

Ned ducked his head as his grandma patted his shoulder. That was another thing—if any of his friends had heard that old pet name, he would never have heard the end of it.

"Everything's—"

It was Nancy's voice, but she cut herself off as soon as she saw him. "Everything's perfect," she tried again, then shook an accusing finger at him. "You were supposed to stay in the living room!"

"What can I say? I guess Christmas just brings out the detective in me."

She laughed, embracing him and standing on her tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek. Just then, her father and Eloise walked into the kitchen.

Even though nothing she had been doing had been inappropriate, Nancy still shivered, a flush rising in her cheeks. He was proud of her when she didn't immediately drop her hands and step away from him. Instead she lowered her heels to the floor and slipped her hand down to join his.

"We—just wanted to see when we should be up in the morning," Eloise said, almost apologetically.

"Well, I'll be up around five," Grandma Chandler volunteered.

"Coffee and cider will be ready, and we'll start breakfast around six for all the early arrivals. It's whenever you want, really. The meal will probably be around..."

"Two," Grandma Chandler finished Grandma Nickerson's sentence. "Rodney's bringing out a big carriage so the horses can pull the kids around. He had to skip last year; he was having some health problems."

Nancy gave her father a little wave and squeezed Ned's hand, and Ned followed her as she guided him toward the glassed-in sunroom. Outside, car doors were slamming and engines were starting as the guests who wouldn't be staying the night took off for home.

"Okay, Detective. I've been patient..."

She gave him a skeptical look. "As patient as you can be," she corrected him. "It's just a little thing, okay?"

She had been typically modest, he saw, when she took him upstairs, to the top of the house. A set of box springs and a large mattress had been placed on the attic's hardwood floor, and made up with a stack of warm blankets, topped by one of his grandma's familiar quilts. A fire crackled and glowed behind the fireplace screen, and strands of white Christmas lights clustered in jars around the head of the bed provided soft, romantic illumination. Their duffel bags were beside the bed. Distantly he could still hear his gathered family members downstairs, but up here, they were in their own little world.

"Wow," he murmured. "How long have you been planning this?"

She shrugged. "Ever since I found out that we wouldn't be staying here. I was a little disappointed, and I kind of mentioned this to Grandma Chandler, and she was really sweet. I think all four of them pitched in somehow. I barely had to do anything. Other than the lights. I didn't really want to have anyone else do that."

He slipped his arm around her waist and gave her a hug. "Babe... I love it. Man, look at that view..."

She nodded. "It feels kinda like we're at the top of some charming B&B," she murmured. "Cozy and romantic..."

He kissed her forehead. "Very much. This is great, honey. It looks amazing."

She glowed with pride, trying and failing to stifle her grin. "Thanks," she whispered. "I'm so happy you like it."

He kissed her cheek, her lips, the hollow just beneath her ear. Then he reached down and boosted her so her face was on level with his, and her knees were on either side of his hips. "I love you so much, Nan."

"I love you too," she whispered, cupping his cheeks as she gazed into his eyes. "More than anything."

"Can I make love to you?"

She nodded. "Yes, please," she whispered, her voice almost a quiet moan. "Please."

He knew she would be more comfortable with the door locked, so he engaged that, and noticed that the entrance to the secret passage had been partially blocked by one of his grandmother's painting stools. He carried his fiancée to the bed, releasing a soft groan when he realized he couldn't just toe out of his hiking boots.

"Dammit, that's the problem with spontaneous romance in winter. Too many layers."

She giggled. "Well, I wanted to wear something for you tonight... so I'll give you a few minutes. And it involves far fewer layers."

"Thank God," he teased her, kissing her one more time before he released her. She went to the small bathroom, outfitted with just a toilet and a sink so his grandmother could wash out her paintbrushes without taking them downstairs, and closed the door behind her; Ned collapsed onto the bed with a little sigh and began unlacing his boots. He took off his watch and turned; a wooden milk crate had been upended, a white linen cloth spread over it, for their bedside table. He smiled and put his watch down there.

Buying gifts for Nancy should have been the easiest thing in the world. He could buy or have someone create anything he imagined. But he wanted to give her beautiful things, lovely things she would be proud to wear, that would make her think of him. But for her... for her, it had to be harder. Anything Ned wanted, he could buy for himself. Anything other than the woman he loved. And so she had decided to give him a night, an experience, he would always remember.

When she stepped out of the bathroom, he smiled in recognition. It seemed fitting that she would wear the silver gown she had first modeled for him early in their relationship. It had spent far more time tossed to the floor or tangled in the bedsheets than against her skin.

"Get over here, gorgeous, so I can warm you up."

She grinned and raced across the cold hardwood, diving under the covers he was holding up for her. The fire was nice, but only when they were close to it, and she was shivering a little as she cuddled up to him. "Brrr," she murmured, her teeth chattering slightly. "Good thing I'm marrying a personal furnace."

Ned chuckled. "One of my many irresistible qualities."

"Of the several hundred." She tipped her head back and looked into his eyes. "This is exactly what I wanted," she murmured.

"'All I want for Christmas is you'?" he murmured.

"You and this. I saw this in my head... and I thought of all the experiences you've given me, with everything perfectly coordinated and just, just so incredible... and I wish I had the resources to do that. I know this isn't anywhere near so grand..."

He gently brushed his thumb over her lips. "And it's perfect," he told her. "Because you understand. You _get it_ , because you're a part of it. And this is a memory. Something no one else will ever have."

She gave him a slow, brilliant smile, one that left him almost speechless. "Yeah," she whispered.

He slid down in the bed, until his shoulders were covered, then slid his knee between hers, watching her lashes flutter as she opened her legs to him. She was wearing underwear, but he didn't mind; he liked grinding his hips against hers this way, watching her react with both mild shock and desire, feeling her shiver as she encouraged him.

She released a breath in a soft, almost moaned sigh as he fondled her breasts through the silk of her gown, her nipples already stiff-peaked through the fabric. "Mmm," she whispered. "God, that feels good..."

"Mmm-hmm." She wrapped her legs around him as he ground against her, and he couldn't help it; he slid his fingertips beneath the elastic of her panties to caress bare skin as he angled her hips and rubbed against her again.

She gasped out a cry and he knew he had managed to rub against her clit. "Do you know how much it turned me on to see you in the saddle tonight?" he growled against her ear, and she trembled. "To watch you up there and think about you riding me? God, beautiful..."

"Mmm," she moaned. "I know..."

He gave her a long, deep kiss, and in the middle of it, he moved his thumb between her legs and rubbed it directly against her clit, and she shuddered. He stroked against the nub of flesh as he slid his tongue against hers, and she arched, combing her fingers through his hair.

Every single time he was with her, it was overwhelming. He had never seen this as a given, an inevitability, but he had wanted it to be. And when she made love to him, when she felt the same speechless delight at seeing his desire... he was grateful, again, for all of it. Everything he had never known he wanted. She was everything.

"My wife," he whispered, as he began to slide her panties down. He felt her shiver in reply, and her blue eyes were shining as she gazed up at him. For a moment they just stayed that way, searching each other's eyes.

It was true, though. For him, it was true. He had been devoted to her before he had slid that diamond onto her ring finger, and she already knew what was in his heart. The way he felt about her was forever.

"My husband," she whispered, and Ned shivered too.

He made it slow and sweet, kissing her, claiming her, loving her. On the nights it was tender and loving, he felt so vulnerable that it almost left him defensive. She was so sincere, and she trusted him so much... and in the years before they had met, he had never let anyone so close to him, had never let anyone else become so completely a part of his life.

He told himself that he had made the choice, that he had let her in, but he didn't think he would have been able to stop her. Maybe he could read her poker face, but she was learning to read his too.

He kissed her fingertips, her neck, the hard rosy tips of her breasts; he slid under the bedclothes, leaving her almost entirely covered as he nuzzled and licked between her thighs, until she was panting and twisting her hips. He drew out her pleasure with his hands, stroking her clit with his thumb as he slipped his fingers in and out of her, moving so he could watch her face, so he could see that look like desperation flicker over her.

She was grinding against his hand when she came, shuddering, her breath in ragged gasps. The golden lights around them touched her parted lips, her flushed cheek, and she arched as he kept fondling her. He watched her twist and stifle her sobs, felt her grasp his wrist to keep him touching her, and when she was close, he moved between her thighs.

Inside her was so slick and tight, and Ned closed his eyes, pinning her trembling body under his weight and filling her, sliding completely inside her. She released a sound that was halfway between a moan and a sigh, her arms coming around him, and her inner flesh gently pulsed against him, quick as a heartbeat.

"I love you," he whispered against her ear.

"I love you," she moaned, and gasped when he shifted his angle and began to pull back for a long thrust. "Oh my _God..._ "

He brought her hand to his lips and licked her fingertips, then guided her hand between her thighs. The flush in her cheeks deepened, but she began to stroke her clit as he worked in her, and then she tipped her head back, a low desperate sound in her throat. The bedsprings groaned as their weight shifted, and Ned didn't care, he didn't care about anything more than her and how fucking incredible it felt to make love to her. He kept his gaze locked to her face, and feeling her hand move when he descended on a thrust was incredibly hot.

Cock ring. That was one thing he hadn't tried out with her yet, and he thought she would love it.

When her hips and shoulders jerked, her lips parted in a silent scream as she reached the height of her climax, he moved deep inside her and reached his own. To feel her this way, to leave a part of himself within her... and she had wanted him to. She had wanted to claim him in a way no one else had, and he was glad.

"Nan," he whispered, his body pressed tight to hers, feeling her tremble as she began to come down. He nuzzled her just below her ear and she moaned softly, her fingertips trailing against his back. "Beautiful..."

"Yes," she whispered, her breath catching. "Oh my God, Ned..."

He kissed her neck, savoring their closeness, before he moved onto his side. She hadn't moved at all when he returned to the bed with a washcloth, and she purred in obvious contentment when he pulled her back into his arms. The fire was slowly dying, but he had put the screen back in front of it, just in case. Two stockings, already bulging with treats, were hanging from the mantel above it.

"Worn out, huh."

He felt her smile against his chest. "It's been a damn long day," she told him. "I've loved it, all of it, but I am completely ready to pass out."

"Mmm." He kissed the crown of her head, stroking her hair. "The sooner we go to sleep, the sooner Santa comes."

"Mmm-hmm." She kissed the base of his throat. "I love you, Ned Nickerson."

"Love you too, Nan."

Then he felt her smile again. "Neddy-bear."

Ned groaned as she dissolved into giggles. "I _knew_ you heard it," he sighed. "God..."

"I think it's adorable. My big, strong, handsome Neddy-bear."

He rolled her onto her back and tickled her, and soon she was gasping and squirming, crying out for truce. "If you want to get _any_ sleep tonight," he told her, "shh."

She raised an eyebrow. Her face was flushed from her laughter and his tickling. Then her expression softened a little. "I do get it," she told him, searching his eyes. "How this is a piece of you too precious to share with just anyone, and it means the world to me that you invited me here last year, that you invited my family to come here. Being a part of your family like this... well, it's more important than anything. And if that name upsets you, I'll just save it for special occasions."

He gave her a crooked smile that was almost a smirk. "It doesn't upset me... it just... oh, I don't know."

"I know." He flopped onto his back beside her, and she patted his chest. "I couldn't help it. But I'll be good, now."

Ned grinned at her. "Kinda good."

"Within reason." Cautiously, she settled against him again, and Ned somehow managed not to start tickling her again. He slid his arm around her waist and closed his eyes as her bare breasts pressed against his chest.

_Home._ It had been too precious a place for him to share with anyone, but she was just as much a part of his home as this house was, as his parents' house was. With her, he was home.

His bride-to-be. At the thought, he glowed like a child on Christmas morning, almost quivering with anticipation and joy, his grip on her tightening a little as she nestled against him.

For him, their wedding day couldn't come soon enough.


End file.
